10/13/2026
On Friday’s sound walk, I heard the deer snorting again and again. When we gathered to share what we’d heard, I realized many people had never heard this sound before. Even my husband, who has lived here for seven years, only recently recognized it.
A deer’s snort is a warning, often signaling that something nearby has startled it or may pose a threat.
I know this sound well from living in the woods. The first time I heard it here, I was eye to eye with a deer on the very path I was walking. He stomped his feet and snorted, making it clear I was too close for comfort. I crouched down and watched him for a while before he bounded away. All I caught at the end was the flash of his white tail.
I love seeing the animals who share this land with us, but I’ve also learned to appreciate the distance. This is their home, too.
The woods are speaking all the time. The more we listen, the more we begin to recognize the lives unfolding around us, even when we cannot see them.
Perhaps belonging to a place means more than knowing what lives here. Perhaps it means learning to listen, to notice, and to respect the lives that were here long before we arrived.
🌿 What sounds in nature have made you stop and listen?
