Today, we were welcomed by yet another neighbor bearing goodies...(no wonder this is place is so popular, there are so many wonderful bakers!)...and then...as dusk settled gently over the rolling hills, we strolled among fern and fauna--camera and binoculars in hand, looking like common, intrusive tourists. My mission was to spot the elusive deers (ok, elusive only to me, everyone else around here has not only seen them, but they have had quite enough of them thankyouverymuch and would be more than happy for them to make themselves even scarcer) ... okay, nevermind them...where was I? Oh, right here:

....and here:

....and here:

....and here:

horses, but no deer!

So, yet another neighbor driving down the street, one we had not previously met, slows down his car, leans over to the passenger side to introduce himself from his open window.

In response to my enthusiasm on deer citing, he helpfully points toward his house a few blocks behind him, "I just saw a bunch of them near my house. If you drive over, you will see them." And so we did just that (after bidding adieu to our new found accomplice).

"I'll drive!" I declared and hopped into our car and off we went.

We drove slowly and carefully, peering into the lush landscape, anticipating beholding the majestic forms bedding down for the evening.

But "alas" it would not be...

the kapricious deer had eluded us once more...