February, 1999: This one takes the cake! . . .

I hadn't been hiking in several months so you can imagine my bliss when, finally, I hiked into Westfork, found my favorite large rock, took off my shoes, and settled down for a nap in the mid-afternoon sun. I had barely drifted off into a dreamy sleep when my quiet was interrupted by the sounds of people yelling and thrashing through the forest. Curious, I opened my eyes and rolled over, but saw no one. Minutes later, three kids and two women came rushing down the trail. "Get up lady," the little boy shouted at me, "There's a mad deer chasing us!" You can imagine my thoughts at this point. A mad deer? I sat up calmly as they told me about the wild deer that had been showing its teeth and hooves and chasing them. I didn't quite know what to think.

Shortly thereafter a couple came running down the trail also breathlessly explaining that there was a wild deer coming. It wasn't long before the pounding of hoofs sounded on the trail and there in front of me was the mad deer, while behind me stood the women and the kids. Why they stood behind me, I'll never know. I was fascinated by the beautiful doe. She certainly looked ticked off but not harmful. I began to talk to her as she approached me, and not knowing what else to do, offered her some sprouts off my sandwhich. She sniffed them, turned away and began slurping water out of the creek. I began making deer sounds and sending her energy and she soon seemed to calm down.

I couldn't resist whipping out the camera and snapping these pictures! By this time the frightened people behind me had calmed down and were staring at both of us. I suggested they hike past the deer slowly, taking care not to startle her. They did so and were fifty feet down the trail before the deer popped her head up, looked around and began to bound after them. Holy cow! The other couple and I decided we'd better help since by this time the kids were throwing sticks, the women were shouting and the deer was really closing in on them. I ran after the deer, hoo-ing like deers do, and sending Reiki. She calmed down again when I approached and I shouted for the folks to walk smoothly and quickly ahead. This was beyond real!

To make a long story short, I ended up hiking three quarters of a mile with a wild deer trotting either just ahead of me or next to me. I was so close I could see every piece of fur on her back, and could have easily touched her. She even brushed up next to me one time, and as we turned a corner in the trail she startled a young couple coming our way. "Stand still and give me your camera," I told them. They did so and as the deer checked them out, I snapped a few more pictures. I could have kicked myself for not bringing more film with me! At long last, the doe turned into the forest, and munched her way up the hillside. To this day I don't know why she was chasing the woman.

The humorous finale to this story? The park ranger told me the woman had reported the deer and told her that "some earth lady spoke the deer's language and calmed it down!" Earth lady?! I guess the language of energy is universal. This is one adventure I certainly won't forget!