“Shake paws, count your claws,."

New fox friends?


     Our house faces a busy route which looks out to an open field. Its a couple pieces of property that our divided up that will probably never be built on because they are too small of lots for this area. Its a beautiful view with some farm houses past the field. The sun rises up to the right and lights it up in the summer time to a sweet gold when the hay is high.  When we come home, or are sitting in our living room- you can't help but to glance out over this small field......
In the past week we have seen a new sight.

It seems that Ash has aquired some friends. Around 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. we have seen a fox. We rush to get the hens in, and make sure that they are safe. Ash himself a late nighter does not come any earlier that 7-7:30 p.m. He is weather dependent and on the nice night very punctual. If it rains we do not see his handsome self. At first glance when I saw one of the foxes I thought it was Ash. But upon further admiration I noticed this fox had a sparse tail. Something that Ash has since overcome himself. "Hmm." I thought (which is very typical of me to think.) Must be a new kid in the neighborhood- but all that we have read said that foxes encompass an area and claim it to themselves. Maybe these small lots were divided up amoungst the red coats leaving us humans out of the picture. Ash owns our woods and these kids live "on the other side of the tracks." Did I say "kids?" Yup- today while cleaning inside (yah thats done every so often) something caught my eye again.  This time it was a dark red fox with a thick coat playing in the leftover hay. I went outside to watch to get a good look at the tail to see if it was the one with the sparse fur.  As I watch her jumping and pouncing on bugs I noticed that her tail was bushy, dark, and lacking a white tip like Ash's.  Could it be a new fox? I whistled Ash's call (which he answers too) and she didn't even turn an ear- too wrapped up in her bug and mice world to even glance at the weirdo across the street making cat (er fox) calls to her. I ran to grab David to have him come see the newbie and in all of the five seconds that took- she took- off.


I'm excited. I'm pretty sure it wasn't our guy Ash. Ash has a bright red coat, white tipped tail and ears, and black as night stripes up his face. With as much staring as I do to him I am sure that this dark coated newbie was just that- someone new.

I will try to get a picture but until then I will anticipate a new fox in our life and love the possibility of our hearts being warmed by another one of these stunning creatures.



Ash update- his hurt paw is still bothersome but he uses it well. He came over to David while he was splitting wood last night to get his food, and followed David all the way back to the house. We have stocked up on Walmart hotdogs and are considering buying stock in the particular brand.