As we were driving out of our neighborhood we saw a fawn nibbling the grass on the side of the road. We pulled up near it and took some pictures. He/she was curious about us. When we decided to move on I suddenly spotted its mother hiding in the vegetation. She had no doubt been watching us the whole time.
It was a tolerable day for a walk. The air wasn’t cool or refreshing like it would be in the fall, but it wasn’t unbearably hot. Dare I say lukewarm and muggy? But Tim decided he would like to give a walk a try. We needed to stop and rest frequently to accommodate his shortness of breath. It is what it is. I was just happy to be outside with my best friend. And the Riverwalk has benches.
Last time we were here was July 7, just after Tropical Storm Chantal had dumped 10 inches of rain and had caused the Eno River to crest at over 25 feet, breaking previous records. It’s hard to imagine that everywhere we walked now had been under water. Some parts of the walk are still closed for repairs.
caught in the trees
(Old NC 86)
It’s hard to imagine that the water flooded this bridge, too, and left so much debris underneath it that it’s hard to see the water now from the riverbanks.
Occaneechi Village is a historic replica of a village located on the Eno River as it was in 1701. … In the early 1700s, the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation lived in a bountiful land with little European presence. The village was an important trade location where the Occaneechi people would trade with the Europeans as well as nearby tribes such as the Tuscarora.
~ The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough website
This part of Riverwalk was closed until August 8 and the village itself is still closed while they keep working to repair the flood damage. In the next picture part of the village can be seen on the right, and the trees on the left are on the edge of the riverbank. Hard to imagine the water coming all the way up to the village!
Now, you might be wondering about this plucky katydid. Yes, it’s the same one pictured in the last post. She first appeared Thursday on the top of our car in the parking lot at Trader Joe’s in Chapel Hill. Tim took that picture with his cell phone. Much to our surprise, she was still on our car after we arrived home in Carrboro. We were even more surprised on Friday, when, after our walk, I noticed her sitting on the passenger side mirror of the car. (above picture) How did she manage to stay on the car from Carrboro to Hillsborough??? We nudged her but she stayed put. Well, when we got back to Carrboro, a 13-mile drive, she was clinging sideways to the car’s back door. So we decided to insist that she relocate and used a stiff tag to dislodge her and transport her to our back deck. (below picture) She didn’t stay there long, however. She waited until we stopped watching her so we missed her departure. I still wonder how she managed to hang on to the hot car for all those miles, over two days.
She must have suction cup feet!
The flood damage is extensive, must have been scary to witness. Best to you and Tim.
Thank you, Eliza. ♡ That’s some pretty powerful suction! And to think that she can control it, letting it go to walk but activating it to hang on – phew!
Those deer look like they’re posing! I’m stunned at the flood debris that’s still around. But I sure do love the idea of a riverwalk — such a relaxing place for a stroll. That Katydid must have decided you were her “people,” and she wasn’t about to let you go!!
That’s one thing about deer, they always seem to be paying attention and they don’t miss a trick. The katydid wanted to stay on the car at all costs, and she was looking a lot worse for wear after those long trips with the wind rushing past her.
It will be interesting if you might find this Katydid on your car again. Keep an eye out for it!
I’m glad to hear that Tim felt up to trying a walk!!
I have a feeling some days will be better than others for Tim and we will take them! The katydid was proof that a mundane trip to the grocery store can be an adventure. 🙂
That’s great that Tim was up for a walk and the weather cooperated for you Barbara – I’m sure it felt great to get out. Your little fawn in Bolin Forest is so sweet and look at Mama resting, but not taking her eyes off her baby and you too. I like the other picture of the fawn and similarly, Mama watching her offspring. That poor fawn navigating that steep hill. I just saw and took a photo of webworm today at Lake Erie Metropark – it was draped over the branch but not had damaged the tree too much yet. I was watching a video about Hurricane Katrina tonight, a follow-up on a story where Anderson Cooper had visited during and after the hurricane. It’s just amazing the damage from water and its impact. I liked the katydid story … such tenacity for such a little bug, but it felt safe being around you, even at the speed you were traveling and factoring in wind speed as well.
Being so close to that fawn made my day. Sitting in the car I couldn’t get his whole body into the picture. It did feel great to get out and to see so many different things in one trip, from deer and a katydid to evidence of the power of flowing water and an Occaneechi village. A change of scenery is always a mood lifter. It was surprising how the deer navigated the steep riverbank with such ease. It made me think of mountain goats. But I read that they don’t like hills and prefer a level terrain. So I guess that was an uncommon sighting. Maybe the vegetation in that spot was especially tempting. I wonder where they went during the flood. Maybe some of the fawns were born around the time of the flood. I’m glad you enjoyed the katydid story. She did have a lot of tenacity, didn’t she? Although she was looking a little worse for wear by the time we moved her.
Being so close to that fawn would make my day as well Barbara. Deer are such beautiful animals. I was thinking that they resembled mountain goats how they scurry up a mountain at a perilous angle. Nature is amazing, no matter its size or shape.
Katydids are such cool looking bugs! What a tenacious one you encountered. It seems you were rewarded with beautiful wild life for taking the chance on a “tolerable” day for a walk. My “companion” I’ll call him, experiences times when out walking that we must stop and rest as well. He’s diabetic so there is always concern for his health, but a diagnosis has not been found for the pain that sometimes comes over him, mostly in his neck and shoulders. He is not overweight and his heart and lungs have been checked. It is a mystery for now.
Medical mysteries are so difficult to live with because you have no idea about what you’re dealing with. I’m so sorry your companion has to deal with unexplained pain that comes and goes without any apparent reason. But it’s a good thing that his heart and lungs have been checked. I hope he will find some answers soon. In the meantime, walking outside is most likely good for whatever ails us, and probably won’t hurt. I was surprised Tim’s doctor said to keep exercising as much as he could between rest stops.