Last night Olga and I were relaxing on the couch -- she was snoozing and I was catching up on blog-reading -- when suddenly she sat bolt upright and then ran to the back door. I looked out at the garden and saw this fox sauntering around.
It sniffed. It stretched. It seemed completely unconcerned...
...even as it looked right at us.
Usually foxes will scamper away if I start moving around inside the house -- especially with Olga noisily pawing at the back door -- but this one was cool as a cucumber. I finally opened the door and it turned tail followed instantly by Olga, who flew over the garden wall and across a flower bed in hot pursuit. The fox escaped -- Olga still moves fast when she wants to, but she is older and I would never have let her out if I'd thought the she could actually catch the fox. (Plus, as Dave always says, a fox would kick her butt.)
I had a dental checkup yesterday, and everything was fine, thank goodness. I didn't think I could stand it if she told me I needed a filling or some other work. She still wants to do a root canal on one of my bottom front teeth, which is slightly discolored, but it's looked like that forever and I don't see any need to mess with it.
Tomorrow it's "Drop Everything and Read" day, when we encourage teachers to allow students to simply read during a 45-minute period in the afternoon. We're all doing the same. The head librarian made promotional posters of faculty members holding up whatever book they're reading at the moment. That's yours truly, above, with my current read, "Fleishman is in Trouble" by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. I've just started the book so can't tell you much about it yet, but I love Brodesser-Akner's writing in The New York Times Magazine, so I'm eager to see how she manages a novel.
It's great that we're encouraging students to read on school time. I used to get in trouble for reading in class!
Yesterday I found this note tucked into a huge book of Saki's collected short stories on our library shelves. Because I'm a cynical sort, I suspect someone was being sarcastic. Still, I left it there for the next reader to find.
Finally, for those of you familiar with blogger Miss Edna -- who used to comment here quite regularly -- I'm sorry to say she is no longer with us. Her friend Beth posted this news yesterday. Miss Edna was a dog and plant lover, an enthusiastic crocheter, and often blogged about outings with her daughters and their families and her love for the TV shows "Leave it to Beaver" and "Perry Mason." She occasionally got impatient with me when I complained about politics or certain political figures, because she was a believer in the expression, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." I'll miss her.
Wow, what great fox photos.
ReplyDeleteMy dentist sends me a notification every six months that I need a check up. I am lucky if I go once every second year.
Cool pin up boi on the reading poster.
It is sad where you a blogger you know has died, but it is better to have known them. I guess given the age of your and my audience, we need to get used to that.
Great news from the dentist. I love that picture. Were you tempted to correct the spelling of congradulate?
ReplyDeleteI would love to know what the anonymous reader found in that book that changed his life! I can think of a few things I have read (or seen on TV or a movie) that, even they did not change my life, they certainly changed the direction my life was taking, resulting in a very different outcome today. I am always fascinated by those "hinge points" in life, where a particular event just changes everything going forward.
ReplyDeleteLove the fox photos, and love that Olga got her chase on.
ReplyDeleteSad to hear about your blogger friend.
That's a tough looking dog fox - battle-hardened, muscular, coursing with testosterone and self-belief. Very different from the picture of you holding a work of fiction. I will bet you fifty bucks that the dog fox has never read a book in his life!
ReplyDeleteThat is a very handsome fox. Good things you don't have any chickens.
ReplyDeleteFunny how Olga could sense its presence from a snooze.
I love that poster! And what a terrific idea!
Just read!
Well, Happy D.E.A.R. day to you tomorrow, Steve! That's a nice idea. Sorry about your blog friend, Edna, I hadn't read her before today. Her blog sounded down-to-earth, honest, and funny too.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to have reading prescribed where everyone reads. Like this idea a lot. It certainly beats the attitude, on finding a kid reading, if you've nothing to do, I can find you a chore!
ReplyDeleteYou gave me a quiet laugh with Olga's sitting bolt upright. My mom, whose 128th, not a typo, birthday comes this week, was a bit of a Mrs Malaprop, and would insist it was "up boltright". It became a family joke. Yet it oddly does convey the meaning.
Wow, that fox is acting like he owns the place! Amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love the reading poster of you. What a great idea to encourage reading. It's so important that kids read and enjoy reading.
It's always sad to hear of the loss of another blogger. Sometimes I feel like there are only a few of us left.
You couldn't find a better word than insouciant to describe a fox.
ReplyDeleteLove the fox photos - especially the one where it just stared at you. It's meme-worthy. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI've heard that the book you're reading is a good one - I'll be interested to hear what you think.
And I'm sorry to hear about Miss Edna :(
That is quite a healthy fox. I am amazed at how well they do in urban environments and recently watched a PBS program detailing their urban lives that was very interesting. They were documented stashing food up under the top end of car hoods next to the cabin air intakes (near the windshield wipers) on parked cars at night to come back later and retrieve.
ReplyDeleteGreat fox photos, Steve. I love that you and Olga get to safely see a fox in your yard there. I also love that photo of you on the Drop Everything and Read pic. Good dentist news too.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway.
ReplyDeleteWe are short of foxes in Colorado these days. About 20 years ago they started dying off because of mange. A few have managed to reappear over the last six or seven years so I would imaging the population will again be blooming within another few years.
Impressive fox photos and I'm amazed at its boldness! I'm glad Olga got to chase it. I know from experience it can be disconcerting when a dog manages to catch what it's after. I'll spare you any details.
ReplyDeleteI love those photos of the fox. I imagine the fox is quite used to humans and dogs if it lives in London (knows when to run and when it's ok to just sit).
ReplyDeleteI would love to have had 45 minutes in school to just read. Bliss. Let me know how the book is, I know it's a series as well and wondered if it was any good.
What A Beautiful Creature - Here Is A New One On Me - Humans And Dogs Are Able To HEAR In Stereo - We Have The Ability To Comprehend A Sound From Behind Us And Left - Or Out In Front Of Us And To The Right Behind An Automobile - Right - Dogs Smell In STEREO !!!
ReplyDeleteDogs So Kick A$$
Cheers
Wonderful photos of the fox! Looks quite healthy too, which is a joy to see.
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing animals, and their adaptation to urban environments is fascinating. March is generally when foxes give birth, so perhaps your visitor is a member of a fox group looking for food for a fox mother.
Love the D.E.A.R. poster and the idea behind it. Hope everyone enjoys!
Stay safe & well.
I'd love a book review when you're finished; I've been eyeing that book. I'm reading "The Dictionary of Lost Words" for Book Club right now. I just finished "The Beekeeper of Aleppo." Next I'm planning to immerse myself in mindless mysteries! It's sad to lose blog friends; I've lost a couple and I miss them greatly.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy Olga had the chance to chase that fox. I'm also just as happy she didn't catch it.
ReplyDeleteOlga must have been elated to go for the chase! That's one handsome fox -- I confess, I have a soft spot for foxes! Love your poster. Your 45 minute day reminds me of Miss Ludwig, my English Lit teacher and whom I credit for my love affair with England. We got extra credit for reading anything by an British author -- any book, play, biography of one or a historical figure (no matter who wrote it). I sucked that up like crazy. (We had to meet with her to discuss it after school.) I never looked back.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea the 45-minute read is. Maybe they could read some blogs too? And now I know what you look like.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear of the loss of your Dear Reader Blog Friend Miss Edna. I'm glad her Friend Beth posted the news so everyone would have closure. Sometimes when someone goes MIA and we don't know why, it's harder to not know if they're okay, not okay, or just quit social media? That Fox is Beautiful, such Handsome Creatures and Smart. He sure was a Poser, well, assuming it was a He and not a She, I can't tell.
ReplyDeleteSAVE THE TOOTH- because if it goes it is kind of like a domino effect. Implants are difficult and sometimes successful for a bit. Bridges are a pain in the ass. Just my opinion you understand having been married to
ReplyDeleteDennis...
Your fox is so handsome, he probably thought the garden his because you left it for him.
That is one gorgeous fox. Such a shame they are vermin.
ReplyDeleteYou look very librarianesque in that photo. What a wonderful idea to encourage kids to read. Hopefully their spelling will improve, too. Although many do pronounce the t as a d in congratulate, don't they? I almost want to read the book myself, now. Did you find out what was written on 27th Oct, 2009?
In grade 7 we were encouraged to read during class time if we managed to finish a set piece of work before the rest of the class, we could go to the bookshelf at the back of the room and choose a book to read. I think I read my way through the whole shelf.
ReplyDeleteThat fox is just beautiful and, like you said, calm as a cucumber until Olga came out. My wife's children had a pet fox that her brother rescued after the mother was killed. She said their fur is so soft and pettable. Finally when their fox grew older it just left one day and never came back.
ReplyDelete