A Doe in the Yard

A healthy looking doe wandered up our woodland path and into the edge of our backyard meadow at about 6:30 last night. She nibbled on the tall grasses, occasionally glancing toward the house, her big ears straight up. She seemed unconcerned as we stood on the deck looking back at her, even with Kodi next to us. After a few minutes she turned slowly and stepped softly back into the woods.

She was only a few steps (and nibbles) away from the three raised garden beds. Knowing that deer venture into the backyard we planted rhubarb, onions, squash, and cucumbers in the raised beds, assuming deer would avoid those plants. So far, so good.

The sweet tasting foods are in the fenced-in garden in the front yard. Last night we enjoyed our freshly picked spring broccoli and sugar snap peas. The doe would have enjoyed those too. One small creature though is mercilessly pestering the cucumbers, squash, and melons -- the striped cucumber beetle. These striped beetles are quick and small, but I am just as mercilessly squashing them.

My in-laws from India have arrived so we are cooking up delicious vegetarian Indian dishes with our fresh garden vegetables. This morning my mother-in-law and I picked 15 pounds (about 12 quarts) of sweet strawberries at a local farm. The weather this week is perfect for strawberries - dry and not too hot. We tried growing a small patch of strawberries in our yard a few years ago, but the birds and chipmunks ate most of them. So, we leave it to the bigger growers to supply the strawberry picking fields.

Now to keep Kodi away from the blueberry bushes.