Wisconsin’s Winter Yard Ornaments

While I was outside running yesterday, I realized we weren’t the only residence on the block who is finding it hard to get into the spring.  The one day we did have warm enough weather to exit the home, I talked the Mr. into removing the wreaths and Christmas lights so we looked prepared for Easter instead of Lent.

A couple of neighbors, on my running route, had missed the warm opportunity.  One yard still has a Santa Claus and snowman figure standing in their front yard.  The funny thing is, they don’t look awkward as they stand there with 8 inches of snow surrounding them.  If the calendar wasn’t flipped to spring, I’d think the neighbors were appropriately festive.  Their neighbor across the road from them still has their wreath and lights hanging on the house, too.  Maybe it is some hot trend for that section of the neighborhood?

I don’t have to take a trip around the world or be on a yacht in the Mediterranean to have happiness.  I can find it in the little things, like looking out into my backyard and seeing deer in the fields. – Queen Latifah

Yard figures or ornaments in rural Wisconsin is a common site and kind of trendy, I guess, it’s not really for me.  I only agree when whatever the object is, it doesn’t look gaudy.  Many a yard has the ornamental deer placed majestically so as to fool the naked eye enough to glance twice.

Yesterday, we entered the competition for the most realistic, life-like deer family around.

Lucky for me, I had my camera ready when I saw them approaching our yard from the field.  Three stuck together, and one did her own thing.  They’ve been in hiding since we were blessed with 8″ of snow last weekend.  Guess they thought a run in the warmer weather was a good idea, too.  They get this close often as they make their way to the field across the road.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We know they come into our yard while we’re sleeping.  They leave signs and trails.

I love living with animals.  And my children love animals.  I love walking around and being with the horses.  But the deer?  They’re naughty.  – Stephanie Seymour

Over the course of the winter, they’ve eaten the lower branches of our trees by the house.  It is rare to see them in action.  With this long winter, they are showing signs that they are hungry and anxious for the grass to go green, too.  They come out in the open more frequently now.

Their first attempt to rush across the road was unsuccessful.  Dang cars.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Instead of running back to the safety of the woods, the curious one leads them closer to the house.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Too close for comfort, so they made another attempt to thwart the road.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I always thought of deer as solitary animals that weren’t very interesting.  But my goodness, that was very wrong.  The big eye-opener for me was that they’re social.  They have family groups. – Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

Then they posed as three of them watched the fearless one move across the yard.  Nice yard ornaments, eh?  You’re jealous, aren’t you?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

One final brave attempt to cross the main road didn’t cut it for this herd.  Another car scared them away.  They are smarter than I give them credit for being able to stay alive as they move from field to field.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

One ran to the left, the other three to the right.  The three in the field waited for the fourth one to catch up.  They all took off, and somehow she finally found her way back to them.  She was so fast, we didn’t even see her run, and the yard ornament contest was over, until the next time.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Post inspiration:  Denny – Day 3 of 3 quotes/day.  Check out Denny’s blog, you’ll enjoy his ceaseless writing and gifts for playing delightfully with the words he writes to entertain his readers!