Evidence of spring is beginning to show even though it’s not officially spring for another couple weeks. The daffodils are blooming. Clocks get turned ahead an hour on Sunday. The sun seems a little brighter. A wider variety of birds and animals are being sighted in neighborhoods and local parks.

In many suburban areas, the creatures that are native to the area wander through what man has built. It seems the animals have become more clever at adapting to our environment better than we adapt to theirs. I have heard that raccoon’s and bear have learned to unzip tents or open “animal proof” trash cans. In the area where I live, it’s not uncommon to see white-tailed deer wandering through the backyard or making an attempt to cross the street. Occasionally they end up in places where the don’t belong.

Yesterday the local paper reported two deer had entered a local department store. There was a herd of deer passing through the parking lot when they got spooked. Apparently on of them bumped the button for handi-capped access and the doors opened. The two deer wandered in. A man in the store held the door open and one of the deer was able to get out. The other deer went shopping. When the police found the deer it was locked in one of the dressing room stalls. How it got the door locked we’ll never know.

The deer left the building a little shaken but otherwise unharmed.