Fox in the Garden

This morning I finally got outside to plant flowers.
It's been a busy spring with such contrary weather that I hadn't done much gardening yet; nothing more than necessary. Today, though, I tucked snapdragons, petunias, and marigolds into bare spots in the flower bed, and put parsley and basil and scented geraniums into pots. It was wonderful!
While I was working, the man who mows my neighbor's lawn began work, mowing closer and closer to where I was working. As he drew near the boundary between our lawns, just a few feet away from me on the other side of the lilac and hydrangea bushes who should appear but the little red fox who's been frequenting our neighborhood!
Evidently he didn't like the noise of the lawnmower, as he trotted halfway across the yard, stopped, and turned around to see what it was making so much noise. He noticed me but didn't seem to mind as we were some distance apart.
I'd seen him the other afternoon, slipping by under the living room windows, and disappearing into the bushes at the side of the house. I'm starting to think he's living there.
I don't know much about foxes (other than what I learned from The Gingerbread Boy) but I think I'll learn.

The Urban Fox, and Ducks . . .

We haven't seen our little fox for a few days now, but three pair of ducks have been splashing in the creek between snowstorms.

I hope they've read Robert McCloskey's book Make Way for Ducklings, and know to watch for foxes in the woods . . . each spring for the past few years we've had ducks in the creek, and ducklings. We hold our breath until we see how many ducklings there will be each spring, then watch as the ducklings learn to navigate the tricky waters of our small creek, and make their way around the back yard.

It's something to look forward to while the snow is flurrying.