Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

Babies are always more trouble than you thought - and more wonderful.

Charles Osgood

We traveled to see Son #2 last week at his internship in south Texas. We found the Wildlife Management boy mired in 17 baby deer. I don't recall ever having such a sweet experience. Finding myself surrounded by these 2-3 day old beautiful creatures brought on a love of young life I hadn't felt in some time.

Each had its own distinctive face. Personalities emerged as they found their legs and kicked their heels to play with the resident dog, a dachshund, eager to spend his days making sure everything ran correctly. Most fun dog.

Oh, yes. This is what's left of the first rattlesnake Jordan had to kill (head and rattles removed before the big gut and stretch.) I wasn't quite so keen on seeing that worthless sucker, but preferred him stretched out on a board to side-winding beside me.




One of those sweet faces warmed up to me. I was thrilled. Even got to bottle feed the babe and dot its butt with toilet paper while it peed. (Apparently mothers in the wild do that to ensure no scent is left for predators. Hence, my Jordan is its mother.)

He was saying they are not quite learning how to do that themselves even though for some of the babies, it is time. I reminded him the greatest gift a parent can give is to instill independence. I think he is on that task now.


I was thankful to discover these beauties will be sold for breeding purposes only and not for deer hunting forays. Three hours with them was fun. I'm thinking Jordan - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, will be glad for a day off come August. So internships go. After the south Texas heat, I'm thinking he'll also be ready for Flagstaff weather - and his senior year.