From Garden To Farm: A Morning Surprise

My son lives in the suburbs like we do, but his backyard has a special kind of neighbor — it borders a wide, open farm. This past week, while he was off enjoying a vacation, my son asked me to look after his backyard garden and pick any ripe vegetables.

So, yesterday morning, I drove over to his place, expecting nothing more than some quiet time and a few zucchini. But as I stepped into the backyard, I was greeted by an unexpected guest — a single deer sitting peacefully in the field just beyond the backyard fence.

Now, deer aren’t exactly rare around here, but there was something magical about this moment. It wasn’t a group darting across the road or grazing in the distance — just one deer, sitting calmly, looking directly at me as if we were old friends.

What surprised me most was how still it was. It didn’t run or flinch. It just stayed there, watching me for a long time. I stood for a moment, soaking it in, then quietly took a few photos of this graceful creature before turning my attention to the task at hand.

Inside my son’s fenced-in garden, I began picking ripe zucchini, fragrant oregano, and clusters of cherry tomatoes, completely forgetting about my silent observer. 

When I remembered and looked up again, I noticed the deer had moved — now prancing and nibbling its way through the crops in the nearby field (not sure what they were growing, but that deer seemed to approve).

I made a small deliberate sound as I shifted, and the deer lifted its head, ears alert, eyes soft. I managed to snap another photo before it returned to its breakfast.

With my basket full of fresh veggies and my heart full from the quiet beauty of the morning, I walked back to my car, feeling a little more connected to nature than I had expected. It was a lovely, peaceful start to the day — just me, a deer, and the soft rhythm of the vegetable garden.

It seems appropriate to share a zucchini recipe. 

Roasted Zucchini Soup- Delicious, light, and fragrant! (link to recipe)