Occasionally, this time of year, I like to sit out on the deck, in the cool fall air and just chill out. Yesterday afternoon, I stepped out on the deck and to my surprise there were seven deer just hanging out in our yard.

Deer: Knee deep in snow
There were five fawns and two does. They have already lost most of their spots but they were the cutest little things. I am simply amazed at just how many deer we are seeing each day — especially this time of year. Normally, the deer disappear for about a month during hunting season.
I drove down the hill yesterday to take my son to the Sonshine Station for lunch, we saw deer along Twain Harte Drive, just standing around. The deer didn’t seem bothered by our car at all. They just watched us, watching them.
Last year, I knew we were in for a rough winter because my cats coat came in early and extra thick. Grandma used to say, if you want to know if the winter will be bad, check out the coat of the caterpillar. A heavy winter coat means a cold, harsh, winter. Well, it was a lot easier finding caterpillars in those days.
One way that nature ensures the survival of a species, is through reproduction. Deer and other mammals tend to have more offspring prior to a rough winter, to ensure survival of that species. Well, I’m no expert on deer but from where I sit on my deck, there seems to be way more fawns this year than I ‘ve ever seen at one time.
It could mean we are in for it this winter. On the other hand, my cat has grown her winter coat but it’s nothing out of the ordinary, not like last year.
Have you seen signs that lead you to believe we are going to have a bad winter? Has anyone seen a caterpillar? I’d love to hear from folks with an opinion. Scientists have been trying to predict weather patterns for years and let’s not forget the global warming crowd.
I’d love to hear your opinions. In the meantime, I’ll keep my eyes open.