Rumple and Stiltskin

A few years ago, I was a very grumpy gardener when Rumple, a youthful buck with velvety antlers, started visiting our apple orchard next to Pudding Creek. At the time, I called him Bucky. I was convinced that he was up to no good (what with eating my flowers and the apple trees) and really didn't like him too much at all. I could see that he was beautiful, but I wasn't swayed because I wanted things to be how I wanted them to be.

He had a friend that year that I also called Bucky (The Bucky Brothers), who has since died. We don't know why, but we found his bones under a redwood tree. Soon enough, Rumple found a new friend, Stiltskin. Stiltskin is a few years older than Rumple. His antlers are broken, and he has a scar under his left eye.

In the last month or so, a younger buck called Big Ears (for obvious reasons) has shown up. So now we have three bucks living here. In the damp wintery light, they take turns sitting down under an apple tree right next to the house.

I thought that I didn't like the bucks, but when I look beyond my opinions I see Rumple's sweet face with big soft eyes, and Stiltskin's fierce ruggedness.  I also thought that bucks don't spend time hanging out together. It turns out that I was wrong about that too. It is important to hold opinions and views lightly! We can consider the possibility that there is more to the story. We can change our minds, we can learn, and we can allow ourselves to look again at those that we don't like. Nowadays, I remember that I am not the only one who lives here and I count myself as lucky to spend time with such majestic animals. 

ps- the pic is from David Assmann of a fox sparrow who also lives here.