Of all the creatures of the forest, my favorite is the whitetail deer. My fascination with these animals started when I was three and went to see the movie, Bambi. In spite of the scary parts and the sad parts, my admiration for these gentle and graceful animals has persisted throughout the years.

Today I live in a spot where they occasionally come into my yard. The visits are rare and brief. They are wild and distrustful of man with good reason. Too often, many have lost their lives to hunters for food or sport. But just now, as I wrote these words, my husband called to tell me one was grazing near our lawn. I rushed out, heart in throat and camera in hand, to see. He was gorgeous. I raised the camera to record this awesome moment only to realize I had no memory card. In moments, he disappeared into the woods.

In Cades Cove, Townsend, Tennessee, where I photographed the deer in the picture, the wildlife is protected. Their fear is lessened by familiarity. A constant flow of people visits year-round to enjoy and photograph nature. In summer, the male deer have a velvet coating on their developing antlers.

The deer are herbivores and do no harm when in a woodland setting where food is plentiful. Farmers may dislike having them invade their crops, but they can't be blamed for going where food is available.

With large soulful brown eyes and artfully designed features chiseled to perfection, their grace is unsurpassed as they leap across the fields on slender legs. Nothing is quite as enduring as watching the spotted fawns with their mothers. All animals have their unique appeal, but among the wild creatures, few compare with the beauty of the deer.