Fawns come to visit

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It was a wonderful surprise to look out the kitchen door this week and see two fawns in the “orchard” behind my house. As I watched, a smaller fawn came running up to them, then back up the hill to its mom. It seemed to be enjoying the feeling of stretching out its spindly little legs! The twins moved down to rejoin their mom. (I think she is the dominant doe—the one who eats apples from my hand—and the other mom is her daughter. I’m trying to decide if she’s the one I call Fuzzy.) Meanwhile, the little one ran back and forth; watch here! Yesterday the little one and her mom came back while I was on the screen porch. The fawn was very curious and walked up close to the porch. Watch here!

The heat has continued without much break here, although it poured up the river in Asheville a couple of nights ago.

It’s interesting how different plants and mushrooms appear (or maybe I just notice them) from year to year. I saw several Flame Azaleas last year but not a one this year. I keep watching for a hint of the Chicken of the Woods” (Laetiporus sulphureus) but wonder if it will come up, given the construction traffic and the dry weather. However, this year I noticed a patch of Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa).

Some of the other wildflowers blooming now are this Common Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris), Shrubby St. John’s-wort (Hypericum prolificum), and Carolina Ruellia (Ruellia caroliniensis).

I’ve been down to the meadow several times today and have seen at least three mama deer, as well as the twins. I hear thunder now and hope it brings some rain; maybe the next post will have some muddy photos!