Whew! Missed

As I begin my eleven-mile drive to work at 7:00 am this morning, the thought occurs to me that rut is beginning and I should watch for deer.

A half mile from home is “deer alley,” our name because of two deer encounters, resulting in vehicle damage as well as numerous near misses and sightings. I keep the headlights on bright to catch eyes or movement and slow down.

Several miles further, I enter another creek bottom area where my husband had a similar encounter. I am still looking around.

Only three miles from work, in a more developed area, and no longer thinking about deer, it happens. I see a young buck with a small rack. In that split second, I can almost count the points. No time to brake, the deer is at my side. I flinch. There is no hit.

We, the deer and I, are lucky. Either he veered or I was going just fast enough to get by.

Tonight I read in the Lawrence Journal World, the KDWP and Kansas Department of Transportation state “late October and November are when deer are most active.” Probably since we live rural, over the years our family has experienced six deer/car accidents, one on K 10 between Lawrence and Kansas City. Most of the accidents have happened this time of year and after dark.

The article ends by urging motorists “to be on high alert during the week or two before and after Nov. 17, historically the day deer-vehicle collisions peak.” After this morning, I’m on high alert as of now.

How is my week going?

Hint: How many direct mail advertisements have you received for local, state or national candidates? There you go!

Burrrrrrrr

Low in the 20s this morning--our first hard freeze. It's a good thing Dan picked the green tomatoes. I remembered to bring in my two hibiscus plants right before I went to bed. All is good.

Fried Green Tomatoes

I had an early evening meeting tonight. When I got home, Dan had a plate of fried green tomatoes ready for me. They were delicious. He used a packet of Conrad Onion Ring mix and fried them in peanut oil. We dipped them in ranch salad dressing just like at the State Fair.

He just got in the house from picking a bunch more green tomatoes. Freezing temperatures are forecast for tonight.