Sunday

Though each day unfolds in a delightful fashion and brings with it not a small number of lovely events, there are always one or two moments that have a special magic to them. Today, one such fleeting minute happened before I was even fully awake.

Ed had been up late and so I offered to let the cheepers out. The day was gray. For once, I didn't bother looping the camera around my neck. There would be no pretty strips of sunlight out on the fields. The flowers are less and less photogenic. I toddled over to the coop and thought to myself how much easier it was to do this in the summer, when the morning air was warm and inviting.

As I was returning to the farmhouse, I looked over my shoulder and noticed a very young deer hovering to the edge of the great flower bed. I'm still enough dazzled by a deer's movement (if not by its destructive habits) that I love to photograph these guys when they show up. Should I get my camera now? She'll be gone for sure when I come back. Deer scamper off at the slightest noise of movement.

But when I come back she isn't gone.

Butter has meandered over in that direction and the two of them spy each other and assess the situation.






The deer comes closer.






Butter, who stiffens every time she hears a strange noise, displays great indifference to this intruder.

The deer's friend peers from behind the barn. I gather this is not their first visit here. Is it safe -- she seems to be asking. Butter glances at both of them, then moves on.






Ah, but now they also have Scotch to contend with.






And of course me. Still, they proceed to their grazing spot...






And even when I come up on them from the rear, they let me get close (which simply means that they're still young and stupid, or that they find that what the human hand plants for them is worth the risk).





Knowing that I will only regret making them feel welcome and safe here, I take a few quick steps in their direction and sure enough, they scamper off.


You'll understand that, except for breakfast (in the front room today!)...





... the daylight hours had few other memorable moments: House cleaning. Hrmph. And it gets worse: I had to go to the mall to return a clothing item. The mall on a Sunday -- hrmph!!

Too, I stopped by Auto Zone so that the kind worker there would do a code reading as to why my engine light is on.  After, I report my findings to Ed. Maybe we fixed the problem, maybe we didn't.

And finally, I had to finish sealing the patio door and painting both the damaged wall inside and the yellow siding outside. Ah, but now the patio door project is finally completed! Yay!

And there are still more challenges to the day. House issues, car issues -- they suck at our energy levels even as we try hard to not let them fill our waking thoughts.

But here's the upside to all this foolishness: if you've fretted about this or that, isn't it grand to let it just go? If you know you have the young family coming over for dinner, shouldn't cooking the meal now take precedence? Yes it should. And the young family comes and Snowdrop plays...






And when we sit down for our Sunday dinner, everything vanishes except the meal itself.





 And Snowdrop eats her kale and spinach cracker and you just want to smile and smile.