Rhetta Meets an 8 Point Buck

For you city folk who don't know what an 8 point buck is, it's a male deer with 4 points on each antler. That makes him a 4 year old, if I remember correctly. We have one hanging around the neighborhood. Not uncommon with peach trees in the backyard and a big pond next door, but rare to actually see them. Rhetta I don't think has ever seen any of the neighborhood deer. Until tonight. (That's the actual deer in the picture only in the neighbor's yard 2 days later.)

Rhetta and I were planting a pretty champagne poppy I got from our dear friend, Linda, out at Living Waters. She's got all her plants on sale as it's the end of the season so I have been getting one or two at a time from her at the farmer's market every Saturday. Rhetta has loved having things to plant! She shovels the dirt and holds the hose.

So tonight, as I went to turn on the water to the hose, I saw the buck about 100 feet down the driveway toward the back of our property. I had seen him in the street a few days ago and found tracks this morning all over my garden. I called Rhetta over and she came to my side (this is a feat in and of itself as she would normally protest loudly and stay where she was but lately has come quietly when I ask her) and pointed out the deer to her. It took a few seconds until she made it out as it stood very still, not even twitching an ear. I asked her, "Do you want to get a closer look? Go ahead."

She pranced, not walked, slowly forward about 20 feet, then another 20 feet, and the buck just stood there staring. Maybe he thought he was invisible? She pranced a bit closer - about even with the coop. Then still looking at the buck she pointed to the coop and said, "That's a chickens!" I guess she thought he had never seen chickens before?

She took a few more steps then waved at him. First with one hand then the other. She was trying to make friends! She took a few more steps and by now was only 30 or 40 feet from him which was close enough for him because that's when he turned tail and bounded off into the neighbors property with Rhetta hot on his heels, "Wait deer! COME BACK!"

I must say I was a little nervous because I have heard of deer charging, but I also knew he wasn't cornered so would most likely take off the way he did.

She didn't seem to disappointed afterward. She came back and we finished planted our flower.  :)

Her first "How" question!

The other day I got back from the farmer's market where I have a booth (see the gratuitous picture below) and the kids seemed to have missed me a lot. Willon rushed me and Rhetta hovered nearby while I came in the house and got something to eat. While I stood at the kitchen counter Willon was hugging my legs and Rhetta, floating closer, asked me, "Corey! How was your farmer's market?" I cried a few tears of joy inside but I hugged her outright and told her I was glad she asked. Then I told her how it went and she seemed satisfied with that. She picks a lot of her language up from Willon, he having surpassed her early on, and this was very much something like his, "Hey Rob! How was your work day, Rob?" That she used her first "how" question on me just made my heart swell.

Patch Therapy

Willon was born with a Ptosis on his left eye. Basically it is a droppy eyelid from a weak muscle. He's been seeing a pediatric opthomologist since birth. Six months ago she was concerned his strong eye might take over for his weak eye but said to give it some time. At his recent appointment she consulted with a plastic surgeon who specializes in Ptosis and they've decided not to wait to do surgery. Apparently they do it younger and younger now. Our optho will do the surgery herself, a simple tightening of the muscle involved. Until then she has started him on patch therapy. He wears an eyepatch over his strong eye for 4 consecutive wakeful hours every day. We're on day 3. 

At first he was a little unsure about it.

Then he got some reassurance from Sis. ♥

Then he seemed totally OK with it! He thinks he's pretty cool, and he is.

Shoe Tying

Rhetta works on tying her shoes occasionally using the make-an-x-make-a-loop-rabbit-runs-around-the-tree-and-into-the-hole method. LOL! I think they taught her that in preschool. Well, the other day she was working on it with her Daddy watching and she made a successful bow! Half a bow, really, but it's tied! Rob showed me with pride. 

Summer in the Backyard

Me and My Girl

We do have our moments. ♥

7 Days: Day 7 Gardening... (le finale)

Yup, me in my pajamas flitting around the garden. This is the last day of this 7 Days. Click here for the whole Group Pool. :)