Doh! A deer!

When we moved into our new house, the owner casually mentioned that deer graze in the backyard.

I didn't think anything of it until I was there by myself one afternoon. Sure enough, a darling little deer ambled out of the woods and ever so delicately ate my lawn. Enthralled, I called my husband.

"There's a deer in our yard!," I whispered, running around to various windows to take a look.

A Northern California boy, he wasn't exactly impressed. Finally, the deer left and I went back to work, aglow with my brush with nature.

The next day, it was back.

Three days later, it brought friends.

One day, I came home and opened my bedroom window to see a spotted fawn grazing not two feet away. Across the yard was another fawn, watched by their mother from the underbrush.

I felt like Snow White ... minus those messy dwarves. Beautiful, graceful, wild creatures were choosing my lawn for their morning snack! I thought about how our landlord had suggested Liquid Fence to keep them from eating plants.

"No way," I told my husband that night. "Why would we want to keep them out?"

Not five minutes later, I saw it. One of the adolescent bucks looked casually around the yard, heaved himself up on two legs, and started nibbling at my apple tree.

My jaw dropped. I was horrified. Those are my pie apples! I called Matt over to witness.

"Not so cute anymore, huh?" he chuckled.

I was speechless. I didn't even know deer could DO that! They still come into my yard, but now I'm a little more wary. Are they going to eat ALL the low-hanging fruit? Should I keep them out? Is my rosemary bush safe in the sun?

Will their Bambi-esque sweetness make up for their thievery? We'll see.