Living with Deer.2

This painting "Waiting for Apples" was inspired by a family of deer that stick together most of the time (except at breeding and fawning times). After watching deer for five years from my front window, I’ve observed a lot of their life cycle and general and individual behaviors in these suburbanized deerfolk. It’s been utterly fascinating being able to see them up so close and observe nature in this way. Because they feel safe in this area, they feed, rest, groom each other, bask in the sun, and even sleep soundly – behaviors that we aren’t always able to see often. I never grow tired of watching and photographing them – and of course, painting them. (More paintings of the deer are planned in the future.)

I’ve mentioned before the story about the matriarch doe that broke her leg awhile ago. I call her “old Mamma.” She’s raised generations of deer, but she tends to stick with a specific daughter who seems to have learned most of her mother’s wisdom. I take it that she’s going to take on the matriarch role once her mother is gone.

Of all the does I’ve observed, old Mamma seems to continue caring for her daughter and her “granddeer.” At quiet times after they’ve eaten in the meadow next door, she’ll groom her daughter and the daughter’s fawns, even after they’ve grown. They’re a tight group, and that tightness seems to filter down through the generations in producing good mothers and proper behavior in the deer world.

The matriarch’s daughter is quite big in the belly right now, carrying twin fawns. Based on her pattern, I expect they should be arriving early June. When I see the fawns I will post photos of them for you to enjoy.

My front yard has become a part of their daily route for this family and they will often stare into my living room window because they know I’m a total softie. “Apples,” is the message they’re boring into my skull. It works. They always get the apple…