Yes, Deer

We get deer. They eat our flowers. We don't like deer.

Deer are cute from a distance. Or the first few times you find them in your yard. After that, they're just another nuisance, like big raccoons. Right now it's deer-and-baby season, so they're especially cute -- and especially destructive.

All the flower shops and nurseries around here sell "deer-resistant" plants. That is, plants that the deer aren't supposed to eat. Local lore has it that deer don't like purple flowers, so everyone plants purple plants. Doesn't help. The deer eat them anyway and besides, aren't deer colorblind like most animals?

We've been through all the "deer-resistant" plants in the nursery and the deer have eaten every one. We've even caught the culprits on camera, strolling through our yard at 2:00 AM when nobody's looking. Stupid deer.

So we got a deer sprinkler. This is a $60 sprinkler you put in your yard that's motion-activated. You point it at the suspected deer approach path, connect up a garden hose (and turn on the water), and stand back. When a deer-sized object walks in front of the sprinkler -- bam! Water spray.

Kathy and I tested it by soaking ourselves. It seems to work.

Now we lie in wait and listen for the psst-psst-psst sound of the sprinkler at night. So far, it hasn't gone off. But we also haven't caught any deer in the yard or seen any new flowers bitten off. So maybe it's working. Or maybe it's just coincidence and the deer haven't been this way in the last few days. Or maybe they're really crafty and recognize the sprinkler and know to avoid it.

Deer. Can't live with 'em. Can't shoot 'em.