The Gist of “Rainy Day Fun at Sky Park Farm”
- Ruth and I took Evie and Maisie to Sky Park Farm, a deer farm near Petersfield.
- The girls love bus rides, even if it is just a short distance.
- It was rainy for most of the day, and most deer were sat away from the edges, leaving only one deer to feed.
- Maisie found a bent stick on the path, turned it into an imaginary fishing rod, and “fished” in a puddle.
- The weather eventually improved, and the deer became more active. Evie to feed a friendly buck, making her day unforgettable.
- Despite the rain, the girls had a great time, and the day was filled with memorable moments like Maisie’s fishing and Evie’s joy in feeding the deer.
Ruth and I decided to take the girls, Evie and Maisie, out for an adventure today. Our destination was Sky Park Farm, a deer farm in West Harting, not far from Petersfield. Being non-drivers made the journey part of the fun—the girls love bus rides, even if only for a few miles.
The weather, however, wasn’t on our side. It rained most of the day, and the deer—sensible creatures—mostly sat huddled together in the middle of their paddocks, away from the edges where hopeful children and a few determined adults stood with grass pellets in hand. The walk to the far end of the park resulted in but a single deer wanting food.
At the end of the park, there were some huge stags. After viewing these, we turned and started the walk back to the entrance. On the way, Maisie found a bent stick lying on the path. She picked it up with a spark of imagination and decided it was the perfect fishing rod. Spotting a large puddle nearby, Maisie crouched beside it. She began “fishing,” making a winding motion on an invisible reel as if she were reeling in a big catch. Ruth and I couldn’t help but smile at her determination. The puddle became her little lake. Maisie was lost in her world for a few magical minutes, reeling in imaginary fish with the kind of focus only a serious angler could muster. It was one of those sweet, innocent moments that added a layer of magic to our day.
Further along the path, things took a turn for the better. The clouds finally parted, the sun peeked through, and the deer finally ventured over to the borders of their enclosures.
Evie was over the moon as one particularly friendly buck from a smaller breed, whose name escapes me, seemed to take a special liking to Evie—probably because he was being fed. He happily devoured handful after handful of pellets from her tiny hands, and Evie couldn’t stop smiling. It was one of those perfect moments where everything comes together—a brief break in the weather, a friendly animal, and a little girl’s pure joy. She even suggested it was “one of the best days ever!”
Despite the rain, the day was a success. The girls had a blast and the memory of Maisie fishing and Evie feeding that buck will stick with me for a long time. Sometimes, it’s these unexpected moments that make all the difference.