Our friend Stella joined us for Thanksgiving and a post-Thanksgiving recovery hike at Sweedler Preserve in Ithaca. The weather was brisk if our pace was not.

There is a lovely esker running down the Lick Brook gorge in Sweedler Preserve that features dramatic side drop-offs.

A young buck paused amidst the similarly-colored goldenrod making him difficult to spot unless he was moving.

Can you spot him? He blended in quite well as he slowly passed through our field of past-prime goldenrod.

Update Nov. 17: Our buck has returned and is less shy than during his initial visit. Now he feeds contentedly in our yard.