Snow White's Neighborhood

Sometimes I am super bitter about living in the beautiful PNW.  Like when we have snow for 45 days or no electricity for four days.  I know, I am so needy.  Then it turns into summer and the Why The EFF Do We Even Live Here season ends. Then I remember why we live here.

This morning as I was leaving, something caught my eye as I was turning out of our driveway.  In the field was a teenaged size deer, just hanging out. Doing it's deer thing.  I'm sure there was a sibling or mama nearby.  I tried to get a photo but it realized I saw it and scampered away.

Because dogs, we don't see deer on the property often.  We know they're out there, we just don't usually see them.  I've mentioned before that we have had multiple cougar sightings in the neighborhood.  Last weekend our neighbor sent us a text that a black bear has now been sighted.  "We live in a zoo!" I replied.

Much to Lucy's entertainment/frustration there are plenty of bunnies around.  And squirrels.  And birds.  Living here is like living in Snow White's forest except the animals don't help with the housework.

In the garden I have concentrated on having bee friendly flowers, which has also brought hummingbirds.  They've joined the robins and sparrows that know Lucy isn't going to bother them and will hang out.  However, bluejays yell at her on the regular, I don't know what their beef is.  I think they're just particularly yelly.

There is a giant heron that lives in the creek and it is Lucy's nemesis.  She yells at it but never, ever chases it.  I think it's because it's HUGE.  Years ago it flew over the house and the littles lost their minds. They were CONVINCED it was a dinosaur.

We have plenty of hawks (my favorite) and eagles.  In the last few years, a turkey vulture has been in  the neighborhood.  I do not enjoy.  It is a creepy bird that feels like it's escaped from somewhere I don't want to be. Before I knew what it was, I took a photo and texted it to Kevin with the caption of "WTAF IS THAT?!"

Lucy is a champion mouse and mole catcher.  She leaves us her catches on the regular.  It's a difficult task of praising her for getting them while being icked out that I now have to dispose of it.

It's not unusual to have to stop for an animal on the way to work. A deer crossing the road, crows having a feast from some unfortunate squirrel. An indecisive squirrel.  A person just gets used to it. Then someday you realize this isn't normal for some folks. Not everyone gets to live in harmony with woodland creatures.  What a shame.  Well, except for the dead moles and vultures part.