Today, it feels more like the spiral of doom.

Yesterday, we noticed a sickly fawn who was staggering in the yard. I kept an eye on it all the rest of the day and into to evening and finally stopped fretting when I saw it bed down in a particularly cozy place in some tall soft grass over by the apple orchard. I thought for sure that would be its final resting place. But no. This morning the poor thing got up and wobbled for a few yards and lay down again and again until it made it to the little pond. I was out in the garden picking the last of the green beans and kept an eye on it.

At one point it actually stepped INTO the pond which the deer never do, and I thought, oh my goodness, it's going to lay down in the water! But it changed its mind and got out and lay down, right next to the water.

I went into the house to get started on pickling the green beans. About every half hour I would go out and see if the poor mite was still breathing. It was awful.

Finally, I went out just before noon and stood nearby while it breathed its last.

I hate this part of life in the country.

Even though the deer have caused me no end of grief over the years, I have no wish for their demise. Just perhaps that they would go up on the hill and live there instead of in my yard.

I have no idea what it died of. It was with its mother yesterday and seemed fine. And today it's gone. The mystery of it makes it harder.

Anyway, I'm about to add a photo of it while it was still alive this morning. If you don't want to see that... well, just click away now.

I understand.

Poor little thing.

Sigh.