mary_j_59

This morning, as I looked out my parents' living room window, I saw a small animal trotting under the trees. Ran to get my glasses, and there were not one, but two foxes! One of them thrust his (or her) nose into the snow and grabbed something and shook it - probably a mouse. The other turned in a circle, just like a dog making a nest, and lay down for a little while. Then the first one started trotting off towards the neighbor's pasture, and after a little while the second one followed. I thought they'd gone for good, but they made a circle and came back again through the trees, across the bit of lawn at the edge of the woods. One of them had his/her nose down and was tracking something under the snow; when he got about to the lilac bush, I saw him (or her) jump with all four feet in the air and then land - but this time (s)he missed the mouse. Then they both trotted off down the hill and into the blackberries, and we lost sight of them. They are so amazingly like domestic dogs! Even the way the first fox would run ahead and then wait for the second reminded me of our dog, who, when he was off the leash, always wanted to see that we were with him.

That wasn't the last fox sighting of the day, either. As I began the drive down to NY, I saw a fox sitting on the side of the road with his brush curled round his feet. I think it must have been one of the same ones - after all, they live here. He jumped up as I slowed, and watched me warily from the verge, but he didn't go far. It's the third time I've seen a fox on that stretch of road in the last few months. It's thrilling to see them; they are such beautiful, graceful creatures, and, when I was younger, you hardly ever saw them at all. I wonder if they are actually more common now?