Amazing Morning

It was an amazing morning here.  I go out onto the porch with my coffee very early.  I like to watch the sunrise or early glow of light on the trees.  It is so peaceful and quiet and I can sketch or plan my day.  This morning as usual, once I was settled, out from the trees came three does onto the small lawn to eat.  We also have what old timers would call "a seep", a small area where a spring bubbles up and creates a muddy area.  The deer love our little seep.

Ok, so there were three does....no big deal.  But then, out came three more does and two bucks.  Still, no big deal.  Then came three more bucks and another doe.  Wow, thats a total of 7 does and 5 bucks.  Just when I thought it could not get any better, out came two more button bucks and another doe.  So, I am scrambling and feverishly trying to quick sketch all these deer, unable to make up my mind which pose to sketch.  I sat with my two ferel cats nearby, enjoying nature's TV.  All of a sudden, all the deer snapped to attention and ran off into the woods......a coyote came around from the right side of my house, saw me and ran off into the woods in the opposite direction of the deer.  Bummer, now I have to worry about a Coyote hurting one of my cats.  My husband is never going to believe me!!!! It was pretty chilly this morning and the bucks were still sporting fuzzy horns, but they also were stomping the earth and making movements like they were practicing for a confrontation. 

I also saw my first Scarlet Tanager.