Coffee Company

The garden was still tinted blue this morning, while I sipped that first cup of coffee. I was delighted to see the fox just up the hill from the garden. I watched as he stuck his nose under the surface of the snow, and then pounced like a cat in an attempt to catch whatever that delicious smelling creature might be hiding under the snow. Picture a fox leaping up, placing all four feet together and then landing with its nose and feet penetrating the snow. Sometimes it would still be sniffing as the nose disappeared in the snow because it would come up blowing to clear its nose. Perhaps he was tired from being up much of the night, because he pounced many times, coming up empty each time. Next he picked up the scent of something that had left footprints in the snow. I watched as he sniffed along the trail disappearing behind the bushes, and then caught a few glimpses of him climbing up the side hill into the pines. What a great way to start my day!




Thinking the morning couldn't get more interesting, about 5 minutes later, I was very surprised to see what I first thought to be another fox at the bottom of Ed's path. I soon realized it was not another fox, but a coyote. The difference in size and gait is unmistakable. Unlike the fox, who seems so at ease in the garden, the coyote headed directly up Ed's path and disappeared through the notch. If he knew he was being watched, he clearly didn't like it. I can't help wondering if these animals are ever in the same place at the same time. Now I'm not so sure about our midnight serenades. Is the singing the foxes or the coyotes? Is it possible that they get together and the coyote sings bass while the fox sings tenor? I'll never find out. Once it's "country dark" outside here, I don't venture outside, but listen from my window.

As is often the case , no pictures were taken while interesting things were going on in the garden. The pictures were taken after the company had left.I was way too enthralled while they were here, to even think about the camera.