It was Friday, my usual day off. My normal weekly post was already published (yay for me). Since I had pre-scheduled that post, I slept in and so was fairly well-rested. The weather was decent – a little overcast, comfortably cool for mid-August. I was in need of my preferred reading material – REAL books, with PAPER pages I could turn to enhance the reading experience.
The library branch I normally visit is closed on Fridays, and was inaccessible due to road construction so waiting until Saturday for that branch was not an option.
I gathered up my driver’s license, insurance card (never leave home without it!), library card and camera (the “good” one, just in case) and headed off to the Audubon library branch. After choosing my new reads, I decided to take another stroll through the adjoining Walton Woods Park (did you really think I’d need a camera at the library itself?).
This time, I turned right inside the park entrance. The right pathway is a little more woodsy, as the left pathway opens up to the back of nearby residences. Both paths circle the man-made lake.
I searched for frogs (just missed one – damn my reflexes!). I looked for fish (none, but they may have been scared away by several people fishing along the edge of the lake). I took photos of the path and greenery from whatever angle seemed attractive.
At the end of the lake, the path forked – one side circled around the lake, the other continued on towards who knew where. I decided to walk away from the lake for a change. I knew eventually there would be some houses or businesses, the park isn’t all that big.
Imagine my surprise when I saw this sign pointing to an UNPAVED path:
Well, how could I resist?
I could hear animals in the trees (probably just squirrels, I thought) and could smell what definitely seemed like something dead somewhere further in. Tempting as that was, I stayed on the path.
No animals evident, except for a number of leashed dogs with their owners. Every dog wanted “pets,” and with the owners’ permission, I obliged. We all went happily on our separate ways.
Deeper into the woods, I grew tired and decided to turn back. No danger of getting lost, the paths are very clear. Once again on the paved pathway, I headed back towards the lake.
And that’s when I finally saw it – a fawn grazing for food right at the sign announcing the lake:
The fawn was obviously unafraid of people. It simply looked at me and continued to graze. I tried to inch closer, at which point it decided to stroll on back to mama and papa. Apparently mama and papa were somewhere in the woods behind me, as the fawn began walking towards me through the woods and only about 10 feet away. It and I kept eye contact as it moved casually on by, and played peekaboo for a few minutes:
Apparently, the fawn didn’t like my camera click because it then began sprinting past me. (Or, maybe it didn’t like when I whispered [I thought], “Shhh. Just stay still!” Now, my camera does have a setting whereby I could take multiple shots of a moving object, but I don’t know how to use it yet. The best I could manage was this blurry shot of a fleeing fawn.
I wish Amy Rose had been with me – that fawn would have stopped and posed for her! Really! If you haven’t seen Amy’s recent wildlife photos, check them out here and here.
Maybe the next time I go to Walton Woods, I’ll have another chance to photograph that deer. Or maybe not. In any event, I intend to try.
Enjoy your weekend, folks. TGIF!
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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom
Cordelia's Mom, Still 
Loved the flow of the post and how we end t with you to get these photos (sorta – you know what I mean)
You have a nice eye for shots – the mushroom one with grass spikes was my fav and I also like the one where u showed us the deer peeking at u!
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Thank you. My husband saw the raw shot of that peekaboo deer and commented, “Guess you’ll have to delete that one.” I knew I could get it to pop enough to use it!
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You did get it to show – I did have to zoom in a little – but it was also part of how we felt with you! We were peeking and feeling the time unfold –
Nice post unfolding
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Looks like a beautiful walk. Here in Texas, I still need to wait until 8:00 P.M. or so for it to be cool enough for a walk. Please send some cooler weather.
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I hear you. Come winter, I’ll be glad to send you all our snow and cold.
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That would be great!
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Oh, CM, I’m not on here for a whole week or so, then I see you linked two of my posts today … THANK YOU! … and darn if I don’t see your pictures. I will be back tomorrow (again) to check your pictures out. And about that deer picture …. I have one coming of baby fawns, that to my knowledge should not even be around (Spring time only) but Mother Nature is so confused this year that the deer are mating twice, as are the birds, as are the turtles, and who knows who else. Just SO happy for you that you are getting adventurous. I can’t wait to SEE your pictures. (grrrrr WP!) I’m really touched you linked my posts to yours. Much Gratitude and Happy Weekend, CM!! XOXO
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I’m sure that fawn posed for you, Amy, and I’ll bet that photo is absolutely perfect! Be sure to read my next post to learn what I went through with this one. You’ll laugh your you-know-what off.
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OK!!! No need for the morrow! Your pics just came through. NICE!! Really nice!! But … um, what happened to those deer pictures? Learning curves …. don’t ya just love ‘um? Tee hee …. sorry. I KNOW what that is all about!! LOL
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Oh, my next post isn’t about taking those photos, but it does relate to processing those photos. You’ll laugh, I promise.
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…. Can’t wait to read your next post, CM!!
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All that greenery looks very beautiful to a desert rat like me.
I’ve read through my camera’s manual, but most of the features are options I would only use rarely. So it’s hard to remember how to use them during those times when something like a deer pops out to surprise you. Frustrating.
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I know. If only that deer would have agreed to stand still until I could figure out the camera properly. Silly deer.
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Unread books and a lovely nature walk. Sounds like a perfect day to me….. except for the uncooperative deer. Pesky things, don’t they realize there are blogs to write?
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I know, right? Those wildlife need to get with the program.
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Always take the “road less traveled”. You won’t be disappointed! But it does take a bit of courage to go off the beaten path. Glad you did, and glad you could bring this to us!
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Actually, this “road less traveled” wasn’t all that long and there were still plenty of people and dogs within yelling distance, but it was nice to have a path that wasn’t paved, to add to the ambience of the park.
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We love walks like this through the forest, especially coming off the normal path. How lovely to get so close to the deer.
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If only that deer had also thought it was lovely and had stood still!
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🙂
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You did great, CM. Really, really great. I was worried for a bit that you didn’t leave a bread crumb trail, but you made your way back to the world with awesome fawn photos in tow.
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Didn’t think to take bread. I’ll have to remember to do that. 🙂
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Not too long ago, I read of your camera struggle, so while I would have told you how I appreciated being taken to a magic woodland today, I can further add that I appreciate the lengths you’ve gone to, to get the photos to us!
Lovely shots, love the ferns and the mushrooms especially!
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Thanks, Joey. Those two photos did turn out well. I’m glad I was able to transfer them!
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Nothing beats a walk in the woods. You got some great pictures.
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Thanks, Dan. You’re right – I would enjoy that walk even without a camera.
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