This One Is About the Story by Peebles Pair

I was moved by this beautiful story from Rae Lawson & I hope that you are too ☺️

Along the edge of our yard and garden stands a modest four-foot fence that serves more as a visual boundary than a practical one. Over the years it had weathered and deteriorated, and Mark decided it was finally time to replace it. My first thought, however, was not about the fence itself, but about all the wildlife that had come to rely on its imperfections.

The gaps and broken sections had become unofficial passageways for our regular visitors. Deer, woodchucks, wild turkeys, rabbits, and other neighborhood critters seemed to know exactly where to enter and exit, providing no end of entertainment for me. Wanting to keep both the fence and its fans happy, Mark thoughtfully incorporated a few small openings into the new design so the smaller animals could continue their travels. Then he added a bit of whimsy with the gate. He even lowered the height a bit so young fawns wouldn’t have to struggle over it, especially if they were startled and making a quick retreat back to the woods.

Then yesterday, my long-desired Nikon Z lens finally arrived, replacing the older F-mount lens I had been using with an adapter. Naturally, I headed outside to test it on anything and everything that caught my eye. Looking way down the garden toward the fence, I spotted for the first time, Mrs. Woodchuck making her way toward the little door. It seemed the perfect opportunity to see what the new 400mm lens could do and how she would feel about the gate.

This photograph will not be winning any awards, but that was never really the point. What it does capture is a story I love: Mark’s patience, kindness, and willingness to indulge my affection for the creatures that share our corner of the world.

A patience made all the more remarkable by the fact that Mrs. Woodchuck recently thanked him for his hospitality by devouring an entire flat of freshly planted parsley from a window box on the deck. 😊

See Rae’s latest on Flickr and view & purchase her work at Peebles Pair Photography.