We shall call him Rupert

We named the little guy on the left Rupert. He is a pretty new deer, and that is his mom next to him. You can't tell in the picture, but she looks exhausted. I can pick her out of the herd easily, because she is the one with one tired eye on Rupert and constantly looks like she needs a vacation or a valium. Or both.We LOVE Rupert. He doesn't stand still. The herd will graze happily and he is running back and forth at the speed of light. It's as though his legs are on fire and he is trying to put them out. I can just hear his Mama, "Rupert, stop running... settle down and eat this ivy. This is perfectly good ivy and who knows if it will be here tomorrow." "Rupert.. I said to stop... did you hear me?" Rupert never listens to his mama.

The other morning Rupert was running back and forth, doing circles around the herd at lightening speed. After a while he stops comes over by his mom, and sits down on his hind legs, just like a dog. I wish I had my camera, I've never seen a deer do that. His mama comes over and gives him a swift kick to rear end.

"Rupert stop that, you are embarrassing me. You are not a dog." He takes a few steps away and does it again. His mama comes over and gives him another swift kick. "Rupert KNOCK it off." He does it four more times. You can tell his mama is getting to the end of her rope, her kicks are getting a little more swift to his deer tush.

For some strange reason, I feel a lot of love for Rupert's mama. I don't know whyI feel so drawn to her. It's almost as though, we share a kinship as mothers... although I'm not sure why...