Almost stepped on a fawn

Dan (if that is his real name) and i returned from the Niagara frontier Thursday afternoon. We stopped at one site near Batavia, and I decided to take the scenic route home to Ithaca from there. It was a bit shorter, mileage wise, and it took us striaght through Canandaigua, which was on my mind because The Dog and I were talking bout a great Italian deli in town just a week ago. Casa Italiana its called, and they have great subs there. Reminds me of Palermo's back in the Rock. I'm a huge fan of mortadella with lettuce, tomato, onion, provolone, swimming in olive oil and vinegar. I used to eat there all the time when I went to FLCC. It really hit the spot! (Is this turning into a food blog? haha)

We stayed at my apartment in Ithaca Thursday night, because we wanted to save some money (we get reimbursed for lodging but that can take a few weeks) and we could drive to the two sites we wanted to knock off on Friday. The first stop was in Jasper. You forget how beautiful and varied New York is until you get of the interstate and onto the backroads, and explore. I feel blessed to live in the middle of it all too! The first site we visited (took an 1 1/2 hours to get to) was a dairy farm where the landowner was involved in the conservation program, and practiced pasture rotation. This allowed the grasses to grow back the next year in certain areas while his cattle grazed elsewhere. Its nice, because the program supports the farmer and the birds. It's a nice symbiotic relationship. I hopped the fence, being sure not to touch the electrical part, and began walking through the field towards the coordinates where I was to do the survey. I was distracted by all the birds I was hearing and seeing. Luckily, I lookd down just as I was about to place my size 13 boot on top of a baby fawn that couldn't have been more than a week old. It just laid there curled up and didn't move. What a strange defense mechanism. They just sit there not moving with hopes that a predator doesn't find them. But it must work, because their poulation numbers are astronomical. I quickly kept walking because it looked so serene and I didn't want to scare it. Plus I had work to do and birds to count. I'm sure I'll see more.

Headed towards the next site, along Colonel Bills Creek valley, I was listening to that lonesome blue yodel of Jimmie Rodgers on the radio when I passed an old, abandoned tavern that advertised "Legal Beverages." I found it odd, and it got me a wonderin'. How old was the place? Prohibition? Are there any illegal beverages? Moonshine? Or was I in a dry town? Hmmm....the mind wanders early in the morning. Anyways, I cranked up Jimmie and kept on towards the next stop, which brought me closer to home and closer to the holiday weekend. Y'all have fun, and remember your friends and family memebers who have served in the military. They are all greater men (and women) than I.