Hirvi and family: befriending a family of Deer
Above:Are you happy to see me? My "deer" friends: Hirvi's daughter all grown up into a beautiful doe. Proud dad behind her just a few days ago.
Still not over the Steemfest flu but after two weeks of coughing and feeling unwell I knew what I needed to recover was to connect back with Nature, hug a tree, smell the damp forest floor. So I have been going out these last few days, but I'll keep some of the hikes for another post. Grounding in Nature is the best way to heal it, I swear, I felt it clearing my lungs. Yesterday we also hiked and enjoyed the beauty of this moody Autumn season.
So, for the above reason, some days ago me and Héctor (who seems recovered from the bug) and I went to feed my "deer" friend Hirvi and his family, that we have been befriending for the last year and a half. They all came running to us like puppies as soon as we stirred close their living area. They already know we often come visit with treats. The baby fawn is now all grown up into a beautiful young doe and ate bread for the first time. I swear she was smiling all the time enjoying the new flavours, and so excited about it. Mum doe ate lots of carrots. Proud stag looks like a crowned king with the antlers fully grown, a true Guardian of the Forest
He is the only one that still keeps a distance to us, but each time he gets nearer and already enjoy apples and carrots. I am still with bronchitis (SF3 flu gone bad) but feeding the animals and walking in the little pine woods did me well. They are tame but still wild. Same with the sparrows I feed every morning.
Why Hirvi?
I usually name all my pets and animal friends with Finn names, still apparently as a friend from Finland told me I may have called him "moose" instead of deer XD, but after two years he's keeping the name even if not accurate ;-)
Last Spring the family had this new baby, few months ago it was still drinking milk and was sporting the cute fawn spots like in this picture:
Cute baby fawn
It's incredible how big it looks now, and just like her mother, sister and father knows us... she's learning to trust. She was literally smiling while eating bread (first picture in this post). For me it's a healing experience. I truly believe in empathy. I love to feel she knows she is safe with me.
Fawn has become a beautiful young doe
Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. No words needed
My deer friend: Majestic Hirvi
Hirvi is a deer we befriended a couple of years ago. He is featured in one of my music videos, "Grow". At the beginning he kept the distance but as time has gone on and our visits with carrots and treats became often, we gained his trust. Last year he had a baby doe and last Spring a new fawn was born too. Some days ago we visited to find out this little baby girl all grown up and ready to conquer our hearts with those big brown doe eyes of her. Now the family is comprised of four: Hirvi and the mum of the two young does.
Above: One of the scenes featured in my videoclip Grow where "Hirvi" appears.
Click here to go to the post where I shared that music video
Above: My song and videoclip "GROW". Hirvi appears at 1:51 Filming another video where he will be more prominently
I am vegetarian and very much against hunting (please, I appreciate no discussions about that in comments, that's not the purpose of this post), I've grown to love these this particular family and relieved they live in a protected area with a reasonably sized pine grove to roam free, but I know it also becomes harsh for them during winter up there so we will make our visits more often. I am very proud to know they have had cameos on my music videos too. I will be returning to visit them and I feel fortunate to be able to get really close. I'm in fact writing a song about "wilderness and innocence" inspired by them. I am also cleaning my desktop to start painting again... and I'm very inspired to do a drawing of them. That way they will be part of my own magic world in a way.
Looking into your eyes
Moments like this are magic... to see ourselves reflected in these eyes full of bewildered wonder. To be witness so closely of their feelings and emotions is a gift. Can you see me and @hedac in them?
And this other photography with them looking into the woods
And thus sometimes we keep company until sun sets
All pictures in this post by me and Héctor Corcín
Note: fun fact... the little grove where they live is full of sculptures carved in wood... and there is now one that looks exactly like me hahha :) They keep on adding new ones but I wonder... as I usually go there sometimes even dressed in my fairy garments... LOL
Still... a bit of a resemblance right?
And here some pictures of me taken some months ago during a visit to my "deer" friends in deer garments myself in the pine woods they live in... I'm part of the family now too, you know :)
Priscilla Hernandez
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com