Deer, gray lags, crocus, sumacs

We've had a couple of days of rain, about 20 mm, and the forests are dripping. I went down to the pond, through the forest. There, under the tree, is a frowsy looking deer. Wisely hunkered down under the branches of an evergreen. It's a thin one, with a wonky leg.



There is more action in the night. I keep meaning to go out at dusk and look for it, but the porcupine has been working on the tree bark. This is an area they used to mow. I stopped that when we moved in in 2010. It is a field of sumac, although the deer are quite fond of it, too.
In the forefront of the photo is one of the sumac trees that has grown to 6' tall. I think the porcupine climbed it and broke it! It's gotten a couple more down. Little twerp, and the deer have eaten the buds that the porcupine has kindly made available to them.



The little sumac trees are coming along. I'm hoping they grow another foot or two this year. We'll see. The apple trees, the two I'd planted[ I planted two apple trees, Sept., 2015], have been trimmed, too!


Off I went to volunteer. I was a bit early, and took a detour. These gray lags thought I might feed them, or that I needed a telling off! You can see the rain falling in the puddles.



The bulbs are struggling. After sitting with my client on Thursday, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and the bulbs near the house opened up again.


Now, here is another funny tale. I wanted to wash the kitchen floor, but first swept up the paint flaking off the back of the garage door. It is a heavy metal door, which they painted. Somehow, the paint flakes are sticky, and I had trouble sweeping it. Then, I thought I'd scrape off the bubbling flakes, to get a bit ahead of it. Twenty minutes later, arms sore, I did most of it! I thought I'd quit before I lost the energy to actually wash the floor. I tried to sweep up the mess, lifting the carpet, paint stuck to my feet. It was everywhere. Anyway, happily the floor is clean, and I have another project to finish for another day!