Wildlife moments.

Since moving out here to the country last year, we have seen our share of the local wildlife... possums, raccoons, armadillos, rabbits, snakes, hawks, vultures, coyotes. This morning, we can add another one to that list--- fox.

It was the first thing I saw this morning when I looked out the front door.... a beautiful red fox, with the longest bushiest tail. Right on the front lawn, sniffing around the wildflowers by the fence. No doubt, the fox was picking up the scent of our cats and chickens, and I was wondering if the fox would also realize that we had a dog and maybe smell that out there and decide to find another property to explore.

I have never seen a fox out in the wild before, and its size surprised me. I thought it would be larger, taller, and with bigger paws and a more menacing-sized head. But this morning's fox was almost delicate-- long thin legs, cat-sized paws, long pointed snout, and that tail was just too beautiful for words. I stood there at my door just watching as it moved slowly and deliberately, as it sniffed around the fencing. My hand touched the doorknob and made the slightest of sounds... the fox heard that and without even looking towards the house it started running towards the road. Once the fox left the grass and its paws hit the paved road, it took off like a shot, down the hill and into the tall wildflowers. I couldn't see the fox at all once it ran into the wildflowers-- the fox runs with its tail down, so if the grass is high, you don't even know it's there.

Something else to add to the growing list of what to look for on the property. And something else to worry about with the chickens and the cats. Oh goodie.