Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Two Foxes


I actually got some things done yesterday. Woo hoo!

First, when Dave and I are working, we routinely have our packages sent to the school, because it's easier and more secure than having them delivered to an empty house. So when I ordered one of his Christmas presents many weeks ago, that's what I did -- thinking that by the time it arrived, school would still be in session. But of course the present took much longer than expected, and finally, on Monday, I got an e-mail saying it had arrived, so I had to walk to school to get it.

"Why didn't you have it sent here?" said Dave, still in his pajamas, before I left home.

"Because I didn't know it would take so freakin' long!" I replied.

I hope he appreciates the lengths I've gone to in order to provide him with a festive Christmas.


I took some pictures on the way, of delivery men on Finchley Road (top) and a festive house in St. John's Wood. What is that thing in the lower left of the house photo? I think it's a football goal, or some similar piece of sports equipment, but I wouldn't swear to it. It looks like the Japanese flag.

Anyway, I had to scurry all over the school building to find the package, but eventually I collected it. Then I made my way to the post office, where I expected to find a gigantic line like I did Monday. But the post office in St. John's Wood was EMPTY! No waiting at all! I got my mom's Christmas card mailed. I suppose she'll receive it in time for Valentine's Day.

Back home again, I made substantial progress with "The Pickwick Papers" and I'm happy to say that after carrying this book around for almost two months, the end is in sight. I am enjoying it, and I love Dickens' skill with the language and his humorous descriptions, but there are a lot of characters and I have trouble keeping (for example) Mr. Weller and Mr. Winkle and Mr. Wardle straight in my mind.



Here's some more garden-cam footage of the foxes in our garden. There are four brief clips spliced together, and in the second one (about 15 seconds in) we got footage of two foxes together! This is a first for the ol' garden cam. They even talk to each other a bit.

In the third clip, I'd left a pork chop bone in the back of the garden, and you can hear the fox crunching on it. Unfortunately I didn't put it far enough away from the camera so you can't really see the critter eating. Oh well.

The fourth clip, as you will see, is not a fox at all. In fact it's probably what the foxes are hunting. (Lest you think my leaving food out is attracting vermin, I haven't done that in months and months -- so they're living back there quite on their own.)

39 comments:

Linda Sue said...

Your little foxes are so healthy and gorgeous. I suppose the only thing that might harm them would be traffic.
Glad you got to the post office in time for Valentine's day. Our PO has been so bombarded and overwhelmed this season, it is at a standstill and though I made it in good time and paid extra for speedy delivery , the packages I sent the lad are stuck just south of Seattle.Just another 2020 dysfunction. Nothing surprises us anymore. Two days before Christmas, the day i was born, amazed that I am still on this beautiful, crazy planet- pretty grateful, especially when there are foxes to be seen in your garden. Stay well, have a merry and bright whatever.

Frances said...

I think that the net thing is used for throwing a ball onto ( possibly a cricket ball) for catching practise....the ball will come off at random angles!

Moving with Mitchell said...

The footage is great. Those foxes sure look well-fed.

I want those deer for our terrace! The net is for ball practice -- kicking, throwing, pitching. How tacky to have it out front.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

FOX ONE How many squirrels have you eaten today?
FOX TWO Eleven. How about you?
FOX ONE Fourteen
FOX TWO They are soooooo easy to catch aren't they?
FOX ONE Yup!
FOX TWO Anyway. Must dash. I hear the wheelie bin at Number 40 has fallen over.
FOX ONE See ya! Oh, and Happy Christmas!
FOX TWO Cheers. Happy Christmas Reynard!

e said...

Those foxes are lucky to get pork chops. Can't say the same for the poor pig...

Ms. Moon said...

The foxes have their winter coats, don't they? I just want to pet one of them. Or both of them. "Come here for a cuddle, Mr. Fox!"
No one in line at the Post Office? Even in Lloyd we have one or sometimes TWO people waiting. It's the busy season.

Sharon said...

There is a lot of wildlife activity going on in your back garden at night. It makes me wonder if that much activity was happing in my yard when I lived in the house. If there was sadly, I missed it all.

ellen abbott said...

I think it's so cool that you get foxes. here its raccoons or possums. or the neighbor's cats. hopefully not too many rats.

Anonymous said...

It is great to see those two foxes there looking very healthy and well fed.
I'm glad that you were able to get that package that had been delivered to the school. And good news about the post office and your mom's Christmas card on the way.

Red said...

That's dedication when you walk back to the school in Christmas holidays.

Bob said...

A house decorated for Christmas and soccer/football?
Okay .....

Ellen D. said...

Lots of animals living in your garden! Surprising for a big city? Hope they don't bother your Olga. Or does she ever want to bother them?
Good video!

Tasker Dunham said...

Great videos. We've not had much success with ours lately. Hedgehogs seem to have gone elsewhere. Camera keeps losing settings. And I'm sure it's missing things.

Margaret said...

Foxes are cute! My ex-boyfriend had a neighbor who fed the raccoons. Not a good idea. Several other neighbors talked to her, to no avail. The mail sure is wonky these days. Slowdown? Pandemic? Probably many reasons.

Catalyst said...

That "squirrel" appears to be a rat to me, judging by his long skinny tail. I'm curious: does a light come on with your camera or is it on all the time at night? And why doesn't it scare the foxes and other critters away?

Debby said...

Your foxes look different from ours some how. But I can't quite put my finger on why.

John Going Gently said...

I think yours are slightly longer legged

Anonymous said...

The foxes look so relaxed, undisturbed by any snoring noises they might hear.

Janie Junebug said...

The foxes probably discussed ownership of the pork chop bone.

Love,
Janie

Steve Reed said...

Well, with Trump dismantling the post office, it's no surprise things are dysfunctional! The Royal Mail has struggled too. I'd like to see both our countries reinvest in government so we have some functioning infrastructure.

Steve Reed said...

Oh, that makes sense!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, I like those deer, but the net does sort of spoil the look.

Steve Reed said...

I bet those foxes aren't eating squirrels at all. Just garbage!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, it was a big day for the fox, I'm sure! Merry Christmas, fox!

Steve Reed said...

They are very fluffy but I bet they're mean as heck. It was SHOCKING to me that I could walk into the post office and go right up to the counter. That NEVER happens.

Steve Reed said...

I bet so! Probably coyotes and who knows what else. I'm so glad we got this camera to help us see what's happening out there.

Steve Reed said...

Well, those cats must be hunting something! (Probably lizards.)

Steve Reed said...

They DO look very healthy. In some parts of London the foxes have terrible mange, but ours always look pretty good.

Steve Reed said...

And I saw several of my co-workers there, doing work stuff! I was like, "ARE YOU CRAZY? GO HOME!"

Steve Reed said...

Some people just can't let go of sports!

Steve Reed said...

We are very lucky in having a pretty big garden with a woodsy area at the back -- so, yeah, perfect for wildlife. Except for the presence of Olga, who DOES chase the foxes with great fury whenever she senses their presence. (They don't stay away for long -- the minute she comes inside they're out there exploring again.)

Steve Reed said...

Our camera doesn't start as promptly as I'd like it to, but once it begins recording it seems to do OK (fingers crossed). We NEVER see hedgehogs, sadly. Probably partly because we have the dog.

Steve Reed said...

Raccoons are so cute, I can see how feeding them would be a temptation. I don't put much food out around here -- just a piece now and then. Like, once every couple of months. The foxes always find it almost immediately.

Steve Reed said...

Oh yeah, it's definitely a rat. No light comes on -- the camera uses infrared light (I think?) so the animals don't see anything. I think they do hear it because it makes a very faint clicking sound when it activates, and sometimes you can see the animal react.

Steve Reed said...

Hmmmm...I'm not sure! Maybe they're a different species from North American foxes? John, are you saying you think ours are longer-legged than the ones you have in Wales? I think ours appear lanky because they're young animals, perhaps adolescents, but that's just a hunch.

Steve Reed said...

Ha! They're on their toes, though. You can see that one looking around while it's eating -- it's keeping an eye on things.

Steve Reed said...

"Discussed" -- LOL!

John Going Gently said...

Merry Christmas ....be covid safe. Be happy xx

Janie Junebug said...

They're more polite than humans.