While spending Memorial Day weekend along the scenic Sonoma County coast in California, Lisa Lombardi and her family were soaking in the natural beauty around their rental home.
But one unexpected encounter made their peaceful getaway even more memorable.
As they returned from a neighborhood stroll, something about the front garden caught their eye.
Nestled among the colorful blooms were some oddly shaped “flowers” that hadn’t been there earlier — a curious pair of antlers.
Peeking out from the blossoms was a deer, blending almost perfectly with the garden. And he wasn’t just hiding — he was playing.
“We stood in our driveway, looking toward our house where this deer was,” Lombardi told The Dodo. “He then ducked down and remained still, with antlers sticking up above the flowers. After a few moments, he popped his head up to [peek] at us, then ducked down like this. We/He did this several times.”
It became a playful game of hide-and-seek between the deer and the family. One minute he was a statue among petals, the next, a curious face sneaking a glance.
Torn between camouflaging as a flower and greeting his human audience, the deer charmed everyone watching — making himself the highlight of the weekend.
Eventually, the shy guest wandered off into the neighbor’s yard in search of new floral cover, leaving behind a story that would blossom in family memories for years to come.
He might not have been the flower they expected, but he was certainly the one they’d never forget.
