[Magdalen] Snowing now

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/28/2014 2:46:25 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
charles.wohlers at verizon.net writes:

. Deer  are 
indeed beautiful animals but they're also a major pest. I'm very  surprised 
you can (legally) actually buy stuff for attracting  deer.>>>
 
When I moved to this Pocono development 30 years ago, there was no
browsing of any plants, be it summer annuals, spring bulbs, and trees
and scrubs.
 
Then the next door neighbor started feeding deer, and even had a
salt-lick in their back yard.
 
Simultaneously, the browsing started.  For years now, there have  been
no flowers or vegetables in the yard, and most shrubs have to be  fenced/
netted for winter protection.  I don't cover the huge  rhododendrons in
the yard simply because they are so very big.  However, if there is a  bad
winter with deep snow, the deer will eat anything, including  rhododendrons
and Mountain Laurel.
 
There is no hunting in this area, so with feeding and protection the  deer
herd is out of control.  There seems to be no good solution, though  for
many neighbors to understand deer as wild creatures and not pets,  would
be a start.
 
 
David Strang.