The Promise Of Spring

I noticed the first sign of spring last week. It was not a flower bursting through the snow or buds appearing on a branch. It was the smell of skunk in the air. Yes, spring would return to central Maine this year. The second sign, and much more pleasant to the senses, appeared last evening. I was at the kitchen sink and looked out the window to see a deer in my driveway. By the time I had grabbed the camera, there were two deer ~

And then there were three ~

They moved closer to the house ~

And three more deer came up the driveway ~

There were six deer in my driveway, nosing at the dirt and sniffing dead leaves. I watched for minutes, until the one in front caught sight or scent of something and led the group away from the house. They met in the middle of the road to regroup. I watched as they headed off to grace another yard with their presence and the promise of spring.