Buttons
Our journey into the extraordinary world of wildlife friendships truly began in 2011 with Buttons, a sweet, orphaned whitetail fawn who quickly became an inseparable part of our family. Growing up alongside our children, Buttons defied expectations by forming deep, loving bonds with our resident animals—especially her best friends, our cat Rabbit and our Golden Retriever, G-bro. Over the years, Buttons grew into a devoted mother, giving birth 11 times. In a breathtaking display of complete trust, she would bring her newborn fawns right up to the house, confidently sharing her babies with us and leaving them under the watchful, protective eye of her beloved G-bro. When we began hand-carving our walking paths in 2020, Buttons naturally stepped into the role of our very first trail-blazer. She was the pioneer deer who started the tradition of joining my daily hikes, gracefully leading the way alongside the dogs and cats. Though she has since passed on, her gentle spirit remains woven into every inch of this land. Today, she returns year after year in a new way, honored by a beautiful, blooming Apple Orchard planted in her memory—a peaceful sanctuary celebrating the doe who taught us just how deep animal trust can run.
More photos and video of Buttons are being gathered — check back soon.
Buttons — whitetail doe.
Our journey into the extraordinary world of wildlife friendships truly began in 2011 with Buttons, a sweet, orphaned whitetail fawn who quickly became an inseparable part of our family. Growing up alongside our children, Buttons defied expectations by forming deep, loving bonds with our resident animals—especially her best friends, our cat Rabbit and our Golden Retriever, G-bro. Over the years, Buttons grew into a devoted mother, giving birth 11 times. In a breathtaking display of complete trust, she would bring her newborn fawns right up to the house, confidently sharing her babies with us and leaving them under the watchful, protective eye of her beloved G-bro. When we began hand-carving our walking paths in 2020, Buttons naturally stepped into the role of our very first trail-blazer. She was the pioneer deer who started the tradition of joining my daily hikes, gracefully leading the way alongside the dogs and cats. Though she has since passed on, her gentle spirit remains woven into every inch of this land. Today, she returns year after year in a new way, honored by a beautiful, blooming Apple Orchard planted in her memory—a peaceful sanctuary celebrating the doe who taught us just how deep animal trust can run.
This page will soon hold a full gallery of Buttons's favorite corners of the sanctuary, along with short video clips from the trail.