Don was sitting on the glider yesterday morning, playing his guitar, and I had just finished mowing the back forty. (Back pain right now for Don, so I did the mowing. He’s done the same for me many times!) Anyway, he called out to me to come to the porch, where he pointed out two foxes on our neighbor across the street’s driveway. By the time I got there, one had disappeared, but the remaining fox was clearly a very young kit. He was hanging out on the driveway, wandering around, and let me add right here that the section of the driveway he was on was very, very close to the street. I started to walk down our driveway thinking I would scare him into backing off from the street.
But this little one has not developed the wariness of an adult and he started heading toward me! “No,” I said, “Go back!” In the meantime, my neighbor came down his driveway (it’s very long) and the little one scooted across the street onto our property. My neighbor told me he’d been noticing the little one for about a week and that the kit liked to hang out by their mailbox. Again, right by the street. He thinks they’re living down in the pipe in his culvert. They are used to foxes because there’s a den further back on his property, but he’s never seen a den so close to the street. He was worried about the little one and later in the day, he made a sign warning drivers: “Slow! Baby Foxes in the area!” (Not that any of these yahoo drivers heed the warning. I had a driver honk his horn at me because I slowed down to let a squirrel cross the street. He was apparently so important that he couldn’t wait 30 seconds. What an ass. I will admit to giving him an immediately recognizable hand gesture.)
Fast forward about an hour and what do I see? Baby Fox trotting by our shed. I tracked him up into the back forty and then he came down to the area behind our kitchen.
Well, my watermark is covering his face! Let’s try that again.
You can see how wild it looks right outside our kitchen window.
And one more:
I then proceeded to watch his progress through our next door neighbor’s yard, down his driveway and then I ran outside when it became clear to me he just might be about to cross the street. Luckily, a sane driver saw him and slowed down and another sane driver did the same thing and the little guy trotted across the street.
I then had to shoo him back from the edge of the street and he eventually made his way back toward his home, where I saw him sunning himself under the mailbox later in the afternoon.
And then I had to stop. I will obsess and worry about this little guy, who has no street smarts yet, and I’ll drive myself and Don crazy. I can’t control his every move and I can only pray he remains safe.
Where the heck is his mother? We’re assuming his mother was the other, larger fox that Don saw, but we’re not sure. Mom: he needs guidance, STAT.
Flower update:
This morning found me outside at 6:30 am taking a picture of the daylilies that just opened.
Yes, it’s raining, which means I’ll probably have to rescue a couple of peonies and bring them inside, though it’s just raining lightly at the moment.
The Country Living Fair is this weekend – I had thought about going today and have been given a ‘press pass’, but I probably won’t. I’ve been there two years in a row and I doubt there will much that I haven’t seen. It’s raining and my allergies are bad, so I should probably stay indoors. I’ll check with Don and see if he’s up for it. There is also a Miniature Show up in Sturbridge Massachusetts on Sunday. I was planning on attending both the Fair and the Mini Show. However, the weather forecast is for thunderstorms, some of which could be severe, all day Sunday. It’s a two and half hour drive and bad weather would not be fun, especially since I have to go through the usual traffic tie-ups in Connecticut.
So, it looks like my efforts to get to a mini show might be foiled again. Darn it.
Happy Friday.
Oh! Baby fox is adorable! And so are your peonies. We transplanted ours about three years ago and they’re just now starting to develop buds…but tiny ones. We’ll see what happens in a couple of weeks.
Good luck with your peonies, Shanna!
Even though I know that fox is a wild animal, I sort of want to cuddle him. I won’t of course.
I love to watch the foxes. I have a den of them down at the edge of the woods and counted 5 babies this year. When they are all out with Mom and Dad it’s quite a scene! I also had an adorable baby rabbit right at the foundation of the house that became prey. Such is nature. Without an outdoor pet, the wildlife is getting closer and closer to the house. It’s fascinating to watch the animal life going on outside the front door. I would like an infrared camera to catch what goes on all night long out there. Have a fun weekend, whatever you decide to do, and TGIF!
Wouldn’t an infrared camera be cool? I’d love to know what those critters are up to. We have baby rabbits around here and I never know if they make it or not. Sometimes, for me, it’s better not to know. I get too upset.
Sweet baby fox ! I also worry about the critters that live around me. We have lots of deer and when I see on on the road that has been hit by a car it hurts my heart. We did not get the showers we thought were coming yesterday so I must go out and water this morning. Going to relax a little bit today but must haul off boxes to recycle and visit the Grands maybe.
hugs,
Linda
I hate seeing deer and other critters who have been hit by cars. First of all, people drive too fast. Especially at night. I always slow down at night because an animal can dart in front of you in a millisecond!
Baby fox is lovely – I hope he stays safe! We have a mother fox and her two little ones living in the wooded area just up our street – I’ve seen them a few times trotting along the sidewalk in the evening. Luckily the streets here are almost empty once the work day is done.
Did your Instagram settings change or is it my computer? I used to see a lovely big photo and a caption to the left. Now the photo is quite reduced and a third of the screen to the right is covered in a jumble of comments.
What are you talking about? On Instagram? You mean on the plugin on my sidebar? I just put it in yesterday. If that’s what you mean, Barbara, when I click on the photo I get a nice big photo and the comments to the side. Might be your browser.
Just checked on all three browsers: Safari, Firefox, and Chrome and I see a large photo and clear comments on the side. No jumble. No small photo.
What a sweet little thing. Yes, he’s too young to be on his own. Hope mama found him.
I hope mom is around somewhere. She sure doesn’t seem to be watching him very carefully. We had the same thing happen with a little fox several years ago. Wandering around, no sign of the mom.
The baby fox is beautiful. It’s sprinkling here in Ct now. I know what you mean about traffic on 84 in ct.. Yesterday it was backed up for miles at 2 o’clock. Totally ridiculous.
It is ridiculous. Especially on I-84 at Waterbury where they are doing endless construction!
Love the fox pictures..is he a red fox? We had a family of them last year in our neighborhood…and they became quite the neighborhood celebrities! Then, someone fired a gun at one, was trying to scare him away, and shot him. We had quite the uproar! He (the neighbor) was prosecuted! We live in an area of the city, that is surrounded by marshland. And we may bitch and moan about the wildlife eating this or that…but we residents of 30+ years, are very protective of our wildlife! I totally understand your neighbor’s sign…good for him! Enjoy your day! ;)
Good. He should have been prosecuted! I’m pretty sure it’s a red fox, Donna!
Well…he’s really a cutie! You got some nice pics! ;)
Thanks!
Yes, sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we want to do. Author/illustrator Susan Branch is all over California right now doing book signings and I haven’t been able to work it out to any of them; I’d sure like to meet her, but it’s not going to happen this time ’round. Love her art and books and blog. These opportunities don’t come up very often…so, yeah, I echo your ‘darn it’.
Claudia, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a baby fox other than in a textbook, maybe. He’s so wee; dear little thing. It doesn’t sound good for him. The thing with wildlife is how you only have so much (sometimes little to no) control. I fed a feral/wild cat for a few years and he contracted mange. I tried everything short of a tranquilizer gun to try to catch him last Fall (by humane trap in conjunction with Animal Control) to give him medical care or inevitable euthanasia but I could never pull it off; he would NOT cooperate (not at all tame). The last time I saw him he was in a terrible condition and then I never saw him again; I’m sure he had a miserable death and it really preoccupied me for a long time. Also, a neglectful neighbor’s dog got out (who I’d worry was not having the best of care anyway); he disappeared. I looked for that dog for MONTHS; I drove all over the place looking for him, to no avail.
Anyway, hoping for the best…stay positive!…but you may have to steel yourself that the fox baby, so innocent and not wise to the big world, might continue to be in jeopardy; he’s so vulnerable. I wish there was a wildlife rescue you could call; I’m lucky that we do have one in our area. Our Animal Control will also help trap raccoons and even opossums…trap, relocate, release. But if Baby Fox does have a mom, I wonder if he’s even weaned yet; it wouldn’t do to separate them. My husband always feels strongly that we must let wildlife be; not interfere but, you know, I have, so I understand what you’re going through and I feel badly you have to have this on your mind when you already had the trauma with the deer some months back. I know also what you mean by letting it take hold of you; I do this with a lot of things and my husband’s patience does begin to wear thin.
Although ‘they’ tell us to be careful about road rage (the other guy can retaliate if it’s the wrong kind of guy) I’m so glad you flipped off that driver! I didn’t brake for a squirrel once…couldn’t…and I killed him; it bothered me so very much.
I’m exhausted. My husband’s work schedule is insane. He got home last night at 11pm but then we were up at 4am for another gig. It’s over by tonight but I’m getting too old for his hours. I’m probably going to have to try and take a nap this afternoon, which isn’t something I normally do. But we’re supposed to be blistering hot today, so I may as well stay indoors and do just that…
Get some rest. Yes, these little critters worry me and, in the end, there’s not much I can do. I think the mom is around somewhere and I wouldn’t dare separate them. I know I shouldn’t have flipped that guy off because you never know what kind of nut is behind the wheel, and I never do it anymore, but in this case, I couldn’t help myself – even though Don and I had just had a conversation about that very thing!
Sweet baby fox! I remember some “real” moms when my kids were little who parented like that! It takes a village!
We are going to a piano recital this eve to listen to my fav little 7 year old. My favorite song forever is “Singing in the Rain”, and she is playing AND singing it. Can’t wait!!!
Hope you get a few fun adventures in during the weekend!
Have fun at the recital, Chris!
I find it a real treat to have wildlife so close that you could reach out and touch it! However I realize that your need to protect the baby fox could, over time, cause you more stress than pleasure. I say do what you can when you can but leave the rest in God’s Hands. He says that He takes good care of sparrows, and I’m sure that he can handle the welfare of a baby fox too! :)
Meanwhile, the rain may hold off and hopefully you’ll be able to attend the miniature show after all. :D
I kept repeating, as I was going to sleep last night, “God’s protective presence surrounds the baby fox.” Over and over again.
Your peonies are beautiful. Aren’t baby animals endearing? I also hope the kit gets street smarts really quickly. He seems too trusting now. Not everyone admires foxes. Some see them as menaces. I don’t worry about wild creatures truly in the wild, as Mother Nature needs to balance. However, in built-up areas, people are not as wise as Mother Nature and are too ego-centric as they intrude further and further into the natural habitats of animals. I still feel a bit of guilt that my house is built in an area where there were jack rabbits. I’m always slowing down and stopping for squirrels, birds, families of ducks and geese. I also worry when I see pet lost posters.
Me too. I try to keep my eye out for any lost pets. It all worries me, Wendy!
It all comes from being tender-hearted, Claudia. The world needs more of us…
Yes, it does.
Your “immediately-recognizable hand gesture” comment had me LOL-ing! But seriously be careful – you never know the possible level of Crazy in some people these days. And although it’s often hard, all we can usually do is let Nature deal with things in her own way. In the end, that might be best too. Personally I trust Mother Nature much more than most humans, as well-intentioned as they are. Enjoy your weekend, whatever it turns out to be… ?
I make it a rule not to make that gesture anymore – at least while on the road, but this guy was such an ass that I couldn’t help myself. Luckily I was at a busy intersection and was ready to take cover, if necessary!
Around here people stop their cars to let ducks and geese cross the road. And while some people hate crows there are just as many who love them. This makes me so proud of my neighbors.
I’ve been known to stop and direct traffic while a family of ducklings were crossing the road! Good for your neighbors, Jan. I would be proud of them, too.
Oooh baby! We have wild critters around our farm as well. Never tire of watching them but
I too will obsess and worry about their safety. Like you said, so many idiots driving out there.
Breaks my heart when I see some poor critter lying on the road. I always seem to be able to
avoid hitting them, why can’t other drivers? Jerks. I pray he stays safe. I’m going to visit my
daughter in Denver and was just out to tend my gardens. Think my lovely peonies will bloom
while I’m gone. Darn. I may be crazy but I like the fragrance. Reminds me of old home perms!
Yuck. Happy Summer. Pam
I love the fragrance. It’s my favorite! I was away working for many years and missed the peony bloom. I so appreciate it now that I’ve been home at this time for a few years!
Other drivers either don’t care, or are too preoccupied or are driving too fast. Or all of the above.
The red foxes are so pretty…around here we don’t see the foxes much…they tend to stay hidden in the woods…He is just adorable!
They usually stay hidden here, too. I don’t see them that often, Nancy!
Beautiful baby fox. How sweet that you’re so concerned about it. I agree, I would obsess about it and worry too. Mama needs to be giving some life lessons very soon to that little guy. We’ve been seeing a black bear running back and forth across the highway by our campground for the past week or so. This is an insanely busy highway, the direct route to Canada from Spokane. One one hand I worry about getting attacked by the bear while walking Chloe, on the other hand I worry about the bear getting hit by a car! Craziness.
Blessings,
Betsy
We apparently have a black bear living in the woods across the street from us. Our neighbors see him often. He never gets in the trash and he isn’t all that shy, but seems gentle.
The little fox is heart meltingly sweet! I feel along with you for all the creatures,especially as they need to adapt to increasingly urbanized areas. Thanks for the pictures!
You’re very welcome, Grace!