Fruit of the Vine

Blessed are the children who walk in the Lord. Blessings and joy shall be theirs. Theirs is the bounty, the fruit of the vine. (Psalm 128)

Man harvests, plunders, or takes from nature according to each his own. Nature, in its inimitable style, rejuvenates at an exhilarating pace. That which is taken away is quickly replaced with new growth or future generations of wildlife.

During the last year the humble ranch hand witnessed countless casualties (deer) along the surrounding roads as vehicles took their toll of the local population. Throughout the deer hunting season there were daily shots ringing from the hill country ranches as hunters collected venison for their tables at an astonishing pace.

But there is a time of replenishment.

Today while driving Big Dawg to shred weeds along the South fence line, a tiny delicate fawn stumbled from the brush under the barb wire. The spots on its coat were brilliant in the sunlight as it tottered on spindly legs to the edge of the brush. It's life had just begun minutes before the intrusion of machinery on its tenuous world.

Blessed are the children of man, and we are blessed by the "children" of wildlife.