Life is a Garden Party: BUCKS and DOES

BUCKS and DOES

Tawny brown

four legs bound

white tail rebounds

up and down.

Not chased by hounds.

Making no sound

these creatures brown

grazing around

or jumping, bound

through country towns.

Small ones hop around.

Large ones bound.

Both eat pounds and pounds

down to the ground.

Gardeners frown.

Both are called bucks and does,

otherwise known as foes -

there’s other names, I suppose.

They cause gardeners woe

through each season. I well know.

Some of these foes

have hoofs for toes.

Others having toenails that grow

are found hopping down on the ground low.

After consuming, turds are left below.

Peter cottontails, sometimes not dear,

with Bambi's relatives called deer,

cause many problems far and near

for gardeners year after year.

A gardener's jeer you might hear.

Bucks and does are rabbits or deer.

To gardeners, unwelcome – that's clear,

unless they obtain a license to hunt each year,

then you'll see pointed antlers hanging next to the mirror

or smell rabbit stew tenderized with a can of beer.

Gardeners devise many jeers

to discourage rabbits and deer

to not reappear,

but never fear -

they will return next year.

These rabbits and deer

know where their dinner

awaits for free, that's clear.

Dedicated hunters peer and wait near

for their free dinner to appear.

A happy ending for someone.

Sounds like the gardener won

if he's a hunter with a gun,

for just one bang from the gun

bucks and does will quickly run.

Though bucks and does will come

back one night after the sun

goes down over the mountain.

They feast until the dark night is gone.

The gardener turned hunter acts stunned.

This true tale

of white tails

never fails

here in my dale

as this gardener wails.

These males and females

travel hills and dales

then in my yard hail

as over the fence some sail

or under the gate others bail.

Every season

another reason

to fight treason.

From east to westward on

gardeners are not fond.

Someone's applied lessons

always seem to fail in my gardens.

Though for a short time they're gone

bucks and does live on,

though not welcomed.

As this tale goes...

bucks and does

are my foes -

those white tailed does

or bucks who mow...

between the rows

of what gardeners grow.

Especially hostas growing low,

tulips, azaleas, even a rose,

or whatever you can suppose.

Or to my woe

sprouted seeds sowed

where yesterday just hoed.

This tale comes to a close

but not the sorrow

caused by bucks and does.

* * * * *

There is Someone who knows

all about your sorrows.

He knows

your woes.

Up from the grave He arose

in order to defeat your foes.

Read the book of Romans today then you'll know

how Jesus defeated your foes long ago.

Wait. Don't go

until you know

this story of old

that's true and grows

more relevant as you go

down your life's unknown road.

I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“O Lord, save me!”

Psalm 116:3b-4

But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;

you consider it to take it in hand.

Psalm 10:14

True story: Early one May morning in 2020, when looking out the sliding glass door, I said out loud, “Those are funny looking bunny ears.” So with camera in hand I went out to investigate. To my astonishment a newborn fawn lay hidden beneath the oak-loaf hydrangea. The entire back yard is fenced in. Mama had to jump over to give birth. Mama came back that morning, but because I was watching from the deck she did not jump over to feed her baby. The fawn tried over and over to reach mama but the fence prohibited. Finally baby collapsed with exhaustion. Later I saw the fawn had returned to the original hiding place its mother had selected.

Around lunchtime I was looking out the kitchen window and I said again, “Those are funny looking bunny ears.” A second fawn, much smaller than the first one, was hidden under a lilac. Its mother also returned later and baby tried to go to her through the fence. A lot of bleating commenced but fences prohibited re-connection. The fawn’s legs became very trembly as it tried and tried, collapsing in exhaustion.

Later when it was getting dark I opened the gates for the mothers to reconnect, but it would have been an ordeal for the babies to figure out, so I carried the larger one to the south side where its mother had returned placing it in the daffodil bed. Then carried the tiny one to the north side where its mother had returned placing in the vinca. By then it was dusk. Watching I could see their dark outlines and hear their hooves crossing the road and go toward the creek. Thankfully, no traffic.

Apparently the mothers thought this was a safe place to give birth, maybe even a pretty place to give birth, and definitely a place to find nourishment after giving birth. But seemingly didn’t consider how they would maneuver the babies out of the fence. When I shared the above story I was scolded for touching the babies. I didn’t pet them, I handled as little as possible. They weighed next to nothing. All ears and legs. I knew they needed to eat. Their mothers didn’t reject. And I have another memory to share with you.

It seems the mother’s learned their lesson not to give birth inside the fence here as haven’t discovered “funny looking bunny ears” since that day.

- - - - -

This morning I discovered wild violet leaves, amaranth, sunflowers were chowed down. I haven’t been spraying due to reported rain showers daily, though not necessarily materialized. Gardeners must be dedicated and persistent, as are deer.

Regarding deer, who are known to carry ticks, in 2024 my mother seemed to have a flu virus of cold chills, sweats, no appetite, extreme exhaustion, more. After 10 days she agree to see the doctor who sent her to the ER. After more than 8 hours of ruling out other possibilities, someone suggested a tick test. Five days later she learned she did not have lyme, but a tick-spread infection. Ten days of antibiotics were the solution – and to keep a prescription on hand if another tick bite occurs.

Take time to google for remedies to discourage/annihilate ticks from inhabiting your property. Be safe.