a deer discovering things to do in the Kawartha Lakes

Entry #4: The breakfast meeting

At the quiet dawning of a summer day, I wandered to Lock 31 of the Trent-Severn Waterway in Buckhorn, Ontario. The early morning was serene, the sky just beginning to blush with the promise of a new day. Thirsty from my nightly travels, I dipped my head to drink from the cool canal waters, savouring each refreshing sip.

As I lifted my head, droplets glistening on my muzzle, I noticed an R&R Houseboat rental moored quietly beside the canal. A window was open, the curtain inside billowing gently with the morning breeze.

Drawn by curiosity, I cautiously approached the boat, my steps silent on the dew-kissed grass. Leaning my head through the window, I pushed past the curtain and peered into the interior. The quiet of the boat’s stillness enveloped me. To the right, I saw a cozy kitchen nook bathed in the soft glow of dawn.

Turning my head slowly to the left, my eyes met those of a little girl, standing silently with a bowl of cereal and a spoon in her hand. Her eyes were wide with surprise, but she didn’t move away. Instead, she reached into her bowl and pinched out a single, circular serving. She put the bowl down on a table then moved towards me, her steps gentle and unhurried.

When she got within a few feet she placed the cereal sample into the palm of her hand and slowly extended it towards me. I sniffed it cautiously, the sweet scent drawing me in. I could not resist. I licked it from her palm. The little girl smiled, her eyes bright with delight.

But then the magical moment was interrupted by the sound of an adult stirring in one of the houseboat’s beds.

The little girl pressed a finger to her lips and gently said, “Shhhh,” as if sharing a secret. Then with a gentle wave, she bade me farewell. I nodded my head up and down to confirm that I understood. I withdrew from the window, stepped back onto the grass, and stealthy retreated to the woods–the honey sweetness of that morning treat still lingering on my tongue.