A Fox in the Night

I let Teddie and Max out to pee this morning, about five o'clock, dark, bitter cold and snow on the ground. After a few minutes I went to call them back in. Teddie was ready but Max was barking at the field beyond the fence.

I called him several times but he wasn't having it. With thoughts of my bed and the nearby neighbors hovering, I pulled on my shoes and coat and went out to get the little rat.

I knew he wasn't just barking to bark. That was clear from the tone. Someone was in the field. Probably not human, it was too freaking cold. So I wasn't surprised when I got up beside him and saw the fox. Who, by the way, was completely ignoring Max's barking. I expect he gets a lot of that.

He looked big. A lot bigger than I expected. He was sniffing the ground in the middle of the field, looking for something to eat. Though what he expected to find in the middle of all that snow is beyond me. Maybe a burrow to be dug into?

Me being a complete bleeding heart, I went back into the house for the roasted chicken I'd put in there the night before. I knew that he'd run the minute he saw me come out to the field, but I figured he might stick around in the trees at the edge of the field, at least close enough for his nose to pick up the chicken. I hope he does.

I'll go out when it's light. If the bird is still there, I'll throw it up into the trees. He has a better chance of finding it there later today.