Today I would like to introduce you to a new blogging
friend. I'm not sure how Colleen and I met, perhaps I left a comment on her
blog, or maybe she left one on mine. Actually thinking about it, I probably
found her via the lovely Carolyn at Draffin Bears. The how and why
isn't really important, I'm just happy we met. We've been in touch for a few
weeks and gradually realised we share many common interests. We are both
ex-booksellers with a fondness for vintage books (naturally), animals and nature.
In one of my emails to Colleen, I recounted a
story of an encounter with a fox. Colleen suggested sharing the story with you assuring me you would love it. I hope you do, but if not you must blame my new
found blogging friend! :-) Before telling you about the fox, I should
probably share a little background information. If you are a regular reader of
my blog, you will know all this so please feel free to skip the next bit
I live in a small village close to open countryside but for
a long time I hardly noticed. Intent on running a business I spent my days
sitting behind a desk or travelling around the country visiting auctions and
book sales. Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with osteoporosis (brittle bones)
which I'm afraid to say I rather took with a pinch of salt. I was given several
different types of medication and after six years progressed to infusion
therapy, which is prescribed when a condition can no longer be treated
effectively by oral medications. Eighteen months ago, I was told none of the
treatments had worked and the likelihood of incurring fractures to my spine
and/or hips was becoming a real possibility.
The last time I wrote about this, I was several months into
a new regime of daily injections, plus walking, Pilates and Tai Chi. The course
of injections came to an end last week, and I'm now awaiting the results of a
bone density scan. In the meantime, I've
closed March House Books, walked many hundreds of miles, and continued to enjoy
Pilates although sadly Tai Chi and I parted company. I feel a hundred times fitter than I did last
year, and I've found a whole new world just outside my door.
So back to the story … on a very blustery day at the end of
April, I was following a footpath I hadn't previously walked. It was very
overgrown in places, and before long I came to a stretch which was completely
impassable. Never one for giving up or
turning back I decided to veer slightly off course in the hope I could rejoin
the path further along. This took me into a farmer’s field where I really had
no business to be. Walking directly into the wind and keeping tight to the
hedge, I was intent on negotiation the boggy ground caused by several days of
rain. The combination of soft ground and the wind blowing towards me must be the
reason the fox didn't know I was around until I was practically on top of it.
To begin with I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking at. Russet in colour,
curled up in a ball and fast asleep, it could almost have been a large cat. Until
it opened its eyes and fixed me with a steely gaze. Gulp! Seconds passed before the fox slowly rose to
its feet, did a graceful about-turn and slunk through a hole in the hedge. I stood still for several minutes, but the
fox didn't reappear. I cursed myself for not having a camera, but even if I had
I'm not sure I would have had the gumption to take a picture. I was raised on a farm and spent my early
years playing in the woods and fields, but that is the closest encounter I've
ever had with a fox.
My camera has not left my side since that blustery day at
the end of April. I've re-traced my steps several times in the hope of catching
another glimpse of the fox but to no avail.
We live in a beautiful part of Somerset, where the changing
seasons ensure there is always plenty to photograph, but that didn't prepare me
for this...
Can you see? In the midst of all those twigs and branches
are a family of badgers! I must have
walked past this spot every day for weeks without being aware of their
existence. It’s my understanding that badgers are nocturnal animals spending
their days in underground burrows or ‘setts’ and only venturing out after dark. I took the photographs on Friday afternoon of
last week. I have no idea why the badgers were
out and about. It was a warm still day which is how I came to hear a slight
rustling in the undergrowth.
I've walked the same path a couple of times since Friday but
the badgers are nowhere to be seen, hopefully they are safely back
underground. I can't tell you how privileged I feel, first a fox (scary and
magical at the same time) and now a family of badgers. A win on the lottery couldn't make me any happier than I am right now.
Before I go, I would like to share these words;
I took my tray out to my secret garden and sat on the edge of the water lily pool in the warm sunshine. There is nothing like warm sunshine enveloping my body to give me a sense of well-being and a warm hug! The extra surprise to send my feeling of well-being soaring was an adorable frog who sat next to me on the edge of the pool and an aerial dance by many beautiful blue dragonflies to entertain me as I enjoyed my breakfast.
Don’t you think that is just beautiful? I do. To read more please visit Colleen at Appreciate beauty everyday
Have you encountered anything unusual while out walking?
Photographs; Henstridge, Somerset, Spring 2016 Barbara
Fisher
Hang On! Hang On! I need to pop downstairs...
ReplyDeleteI need another lemon tea to plough through this! :).
Now! Where were l....Oh! Yes! Foxes! Lovely creatures,
could'nt eat a whole one..."Willie". "oooops! sorry".
HeHe! Well...I've had a lot of encounters with foxes!
Been close to them, stroked them, even picked them up.
A few years back l was driving to Sturminster Newton,
Came around a corner into a straight bit, before a steep
dip...from the side of the road, out stepped a young fox,
about a year old..and, just stood there. I stopped, couple
of cars behind stopped, l tooted a few times, the little
fella just stood there, without a care in the world. Bless!
I got out my car, and walked slowly towards him/her..It
did'nt move....When l got very close, l picked it up, talking
to it softly, and saying things like...."You silly sod".
HeHe! I took it to the other side of the road, and put it into
a wooded area, and off it went....Never even saying thankyou! :).
Yes! I've had a lot of experiences with wild life!
Can l just say of course one man..David Attenborough who turned
90 on Sunday, is absolutely amazing..What a wonderful life
he's had...! Fantastic!
Oh! And the badgers..They are lovely creatures to...But! l
must put my hand up and say, and be honest l have eaten
quite a few of them. But, not in years now, what with this
TB thing..! (you see Barbara..l never even joked about it).
The photos/pictures are amazing...Lovely colours..The lovely
countryside..You can't beat it...And, l'm in the next county.
Would'nt live anywhere else!
Oh! And longhorn cow...HeHe! Those horns look as big as my
American longhorns l've got over my fire~place in the front
room...! They are actually 8ft across...AND...THat's a lotta
Bull...!!! :).
Great post Barbara...I shall pop back, again, and again, over
the next few days, as l do with ALL my 'flavourite' Blogs!
I'm 'NOT' a one off reader...!
Look out for those foxes now....!!! :0).
Lemon tea for you and a Southern Comfort for me! Only joking, but I have just made myself a nice cup of Breakfast tea!
DeleteI almost ended this post with a note just for you Willie, something along the lines of please don’t tell me about the badgers you’ve eaten. I left it off in the end, and I thank you for not joking about. If you had I would not have been able to say a word about it! I’ve eaten plenty of lamb in my time – not any more, not for years. I just can’t bring myself to enjoy looking at them and then eat them! Same goes for badgers (not that I’ve ever eaten one)!!
I love the story of ‘your’ fox Willie, thank goodness someone with a kind heart happened along that road just at that right moment, or it could have been a different story.
Some years back when we were living in Hampshire, I was driving to work through Four Marks and an elderly lady somehow managed to let go of her dog. The two cars in front of me stopped. I stopped, and the man behind me overtook us all and ran over the dog. I behaved like someone demented that day! I almost punched him but in the end, there were too many other things to sort out when he (coward that he was) drove off!
I completely agree with you re David Attenborough, ninety years old and still going strong – long may he continue!
Thank you for solving one mystery. I had no idea about that cow. I’ve been telling everyone it's a ‘rare breeds’ – some country girl I am!!
You are welcome to pop back as often as you like Willie, I always enjoy your company.
The Highland Cattle...
DeleteAll our domestic cattle are descended from the giant wild Aurochs as shown in Neolithic cave paintings. Highland Cattle can probably claim the closest lineage to them. They are mainly found in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
Their thick hairy coats help them to survive in extremely wet and cold conditions. The snow and rain runs off their long hairy overcoat. They do come under the title of 'Rare Breeds'.
Ha I’m no so daft as I thought I was then! Thanks for the info Willie, most informative.
DeleteLovely post Barbara and looking forward to visiting you in your beautiful corner of Somerset soon xx
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue. I'm looking forward to your visit. We should try to make time to go for a walk, mind you a large lunch and a couple of Southern Comforts will probably put paid to that. See you soon. xxx
DeleteWhat a lovely post about your wonderful close-up encounter. We do live in a wonderful county! M x
ReplyDeleteWe do indeed Marina, and I try never to forget that. xx
DeleteA few years ago Liz and I came across five wet and muddy fox cubs in the corner of a field here. Why they were in such a state we couldn't tell, maybe flooded out by the recent heavy rain. Next morning they were gone so presumably Mum had been back to take them to dryer accommodation. Still occasionally see an adult fox laying out sunning itself in the same area. Also deer are a regular sight, sometimes as many as five together. A couple of months ago while walking Flo along the stream that crosses the farm I saw what I thought at first was a water vole but it was too small. So back home and out with the books, it seems it was a water shrew. Not seen one before nor since.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting read and the lovely photos.
John
Hello John, that is such a lovely story thank you for sharing it. I’m very jealous having never got remotely close to a fox cub. I do hope mum come back for her cubs. I’m worrying about the badgers now, and keep hoping they were out of their burrow because it was a nice afternoon! rather than someone or something had chased them out.
DeleteWe see the occasional deer, but I’ve never been able to get a photo. They move too fast. I did photograph some prints in the mud yesterday. I wasn’t sure what made them, came home looked on Google and yes, deer prints.
You were lucky to see a water shrew, I’m not sure I would know one if I saw one but will keep my eyes open.
Hope Flo and you are both keeping well.
Bob and I saw a water shrew by the river at Northbrook once. I am sure the Badgers were out as it was such a lovely day, bet mum has tucked them up warm again today, mind you I think they start teaching them to forage when they are quite young. x
DeleteHi Sue, I do hope they are tucked up warm somewhere although I didn’t see any sign of mum or dad. I didn’t know there was a river at Northbrook, or maybe I’ve forgotten. xx
DeleteYou had to cross the dual carriageway, Bob used to graze the cows over there. It was lovely in the summer, we would walk over there nearly every evening.
DeleteMorning Sue, I always remember Northbrook (the name should have given me a clue - brook!) as being a lovely place but hadn't realised there was a river. I must have driven past it or close to it on my twice weekly trips to Aldershot. I do have a memory of flooding in the meadows alongside the duel carriageway just hadn't put two and put together. x
DeleteWhat a lovely story, Barbara. I can't imagine stumbling upon a sleeping fox like that. The photographs you have included are wonderful. Are they all Somerset? (Some of my dad's Dore family lived there.) I hope all goes well with the results of your are positive.
ReplyDeleteI don't have much chance to walk in nature since I live in NYC but I do live across from Carl Schultz Park by the East River and love to walk around there. No chance of a fox there, but there are occasionally coyotes.
Thank you for sharing you wonderful adventures with all of your readers.
Hello Alex,
DeleteAll the photographs were taken within an hour (on foot) of where we live in Somerset. We actually live on a housing estate but there is countryside on all sides. I can’t believe I used to drive past everything; thank goodness I finally took the time to look.
Thanks for your good wishes, I shouldn’t have long to wait for the results.
I’ve just been looking at images of your park it looks like a wonderful place to walk. I had no idea there would be coyotes in NYC, but I guess like the fox they are coming closer for food.
Barbara!I LOVE your story about the fox and the badgers. What lovely photos! You are inspiring me to write about the wildlife here. Even when I have a camera in my hand I am usually so awe struck that I do not take a photo.Or they come out blurry because I am so excited. I would also love to take a long walk with you someday-BEFORE the large lunch and Southern Comfort! I am thrilled that we finally connected. I look forward to your blogs even more now that I am getting to know you better! Thank you so very much for featuring my blog this week. I can see from the other comments on your post that I will want to get better acquainted with some of your faithful followers.
ReplyDeleteThank you Colleen, it was your encouragement that got this post written. I always struggle when it comes to writing about me, describing a book or postcard is so much easier!
DeleteI would be delighted to have your company on a walk, we could always have lunch and a Southern Comfort afterwards!! I’m not sure we would see much wildlife though as we would have far too much to talk about. I’m really looking forward to reading more about the wildlife in your part of the world, and I promise you won’t go far wrong if you start chatting with followers of this blog, they are just the best.
What a lovely post, and your photos are beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Linda.
DeleteI never tire of encounters like this & luckily. living in the country & loving to be outside they happen to me often.
ReplyDeleteFor a few months now we've had a resident fox in our back yard. Every evening we sit on our screened back porch to enjoy the twilight & he comes out of the woods, checks the flower beds, rolls in the grass & sometimes even catches mice or moles in our compost pile. He is such fun! We h ave trails through our woods & I've met on a path a few times. He flicks his tail at me..disgusted that I would intrude into his territory. I've even caught him drinking from our guard dogs water bowl with the dog watching in shock a few ft away!
We also have deer (more than I like because they love my garden), bald eagles that perch below our house & lots of water birds, song birds ect. There's an owl that often perches in different places around our property that I really enjoy watching as well.
Sunrise & twilight are the best times for me. Everyone is either going to sleep or just waking up. It's the most fun!
Love your blog. I just discovered you a few weeks ago & haven't missed a post since then.
Hello Jenny, how lovely to meet you, thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
DeleteHow I wish I could walk in your wood or sit on your back porch. Although you describe it all so beautifully I feel as though I've been there already. I've seen the flick of the foxes tail and the expression on the guard dog's face. It sounds as though you live in a truly magical place.
My husband is a very keen photographer, the type you see with bags of equipment, not like me with my little instant camera. He would be in heaven on your property, bald eagles, water birds, deer, oh my goodness, he would be beside himself with excitement!
Thank you again for commenting, you made my day! Do you blog? I would love to follow you if you do. Barbara.
Unfortunately meetings with foxes is a daily, or nightly thing in my part of London. What lovely photos. It makes homesick for to my years in Devon.
ReplyDeleteSorry Roger I didn’t intend to make you homesick! Maybe it’s time for a trip back to Devon?
DeleteI’ve read about the problems with urban foxes in London and other big cities, but while there is food for the taking, they will be there. I wonder what the sleepy fox I saw would make of London. I imagine he would enjoy a visit but be glad to get back home, much like me!
My dear, dear Barbara, I enjoy EVERY WORD, EVERY corner I turned in your prose. This time of year truly brings us back to ourselves and our role in nature, and if you live anywhere near the country (AS YOU DO!), then all the better.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I want to extend my well-wishes to you dear friend, that you may gain health and strength through good exercise and whatever else can be of help that is natural. I have not yet had this bone density testing, but I should. May you spend all your days in the happy place of your garden and surroundings!
WE HAVE FOXES! YES! Just blocks away from our home, there is a family of foxes in the briar at one of our hilly parks. However, one morning as I was taking out the trash to our alley, there was a fox! We are in an urban area and we do have quite the menagerie. We have wild turkeys loitering on front steps, hawks overhead watching for the baby rabbits to be born, many lovely birds, and one year out in the neighboring city of St. Paul, a BLACK BEAR was spotted in someone's tree, and this is THE CITY!
I am in the process of trying to write a poem about the phenomenon of happiness spent in the garden. May you play like a child in your happy place.
Thank you so much Anita. You really should have a bone density scan if you can. I had no idea I had any kind of problem until a series of minor mishaps ended with broken bones. I always thought I was fairly healthy. I have a good diet. I'm not overweight. I just have fragile bones. Anyway enough of that on to nicer things!
DeleteA black bear must be frightening but everything else sounds amazing. I would love to have a visit from a wild turkey! I watch the hawks circling when I’m out walking and always feel for whatever it is they have spotted in the grass. It makes me want to run around waving my arms, but Terry is good at reminding me that haws have to eat too!
I look forward to reading your poem. xx
Oh, Barbara, you live in a magical place. How wonderful to live where you see so many animals. I'd walk around with a camera all the time too. I'm so sorry to hear about your health and wishing you a total recovery.
ReplyDeleteHello Donna, we live in a really nice part of the country, and we appreciate how lucky we are. Thank you for your good wishes.
DeleteDelete
Lovely pictures of beautiful nature. Yes, I can see the badgers in that photo. What a wonderful walk!
ReplyDeleteHi Aunt Mary, I'm glad you can see the badgers. They were so well hidden it was difficult to get a picture, plus I didn't want to frighten them. Thanks for your visit.
DeleteWhat a beautiful area you live in--the perfect place for long walks. I agree about the silver lining effect of bad news and I hope you get good results from your last scan. My bones aren't too great either and you've motivated me to make sure I get up and out of my chair more often. Personally,I think exercise and improving balance (I stand on one leg for five minutes at a time to start each day)is more important than medicine. Back to your gorgeous pictures--I love the group of badgers--what a great find. I once came across a distant deer. Enjoy your walk today!
ReplyDeleteThank you Marcia, it is a beautiful area, and I can’t believe I didn’t know. I’m ashamed of myself when I think about it! The crazy thing is we all go off on holiday looking for beautiful places, and sometimes they are right on our doorsteps. It is very easy to sit still for hours on end, especially if you are busy or enjoying what you are doing.
DeleteI couldn’t stand on one leg when I started Pilates classes, but it is part of the routine, so I’m getting better, I don’t think I could do it for five minutes but maybe a minute or two. I can’t believe I was lucky enough to see the badgers, and I’m still on a high about it. Have a good rest of the week, and keep standing on one leg!
Lovely to meet Colleen. Such lovely pictures, I especially love the one of the highland cow.
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy, those cows are amazing! I’ve been to see them again today. It's surprising just how big they are when you get close to them. I make sure to keep a fence and a gate between us as I don’t fancy getting entangled on those horns, they seem very placid but you just never know.
DeleteHi Barbara,
ReplyDeleteIt's really beautiful where you live. Or perhaps it's beautiful where we all live, if only we take the time to notice. There's been several warblers and baby squirrels on the big rain tree outside my room these days. I love how you're taking long walks and are feeling much healthier through Pilates. (I'm sorry to hear that your osteoporosis is much more severe than I thought. I hope your scan results come back good!)
Take all the lovely walks and enjoy all the sweet, refreshing tea every day, my dear friend. Stumbling on a sleeping fox sounds like the beginning of an excellent children's story. :)
Before I forget again, here's the Click to Tweet link I mentioned: https://clicktotweet.com/ Have fun experimenting and take great care to be happy and healthy!
Dear Claudine, many thanks for the link I will be take a look as soon as I’ve left this reply.
DeleteWarblers, baby squirrels and a rain tree sound pretty amazing to me. I love squirrels but don’t see many of them now. It must be lovely to see them just outside your room.
The sleeping fox would make a good story, sadly I don’t feel I have the skill to write it but maybe someone will.
Thanks again for the link Claudine and for calling in. x
I can see why you like Colleen, Barbara, and it quite obvious why she's drawn to you! Whenever I read your posts I remember all the good things about the world...what can be better than that? I'm very luck to count you as one of my dear blogging friends.
ReplyDeleteI hardly know what to say Marilyn other than to thank you for being such a lovely friend.
Delete
ReplyDeleteBarbara I think if we stop and just take time to look around us we can surely see the wonders of nature even within our own little back garden. Love to watch from my window the play of birds in the trees the squirrels trying to pit their brain against us to get at the bird feeds. The flowers and little beetles. So fascinating. The story of the fox reminds me of mine when one warm spring day when I looked out of the window and saw this orange patch on our neighbour's garden shed roof. I realised it was a fox having a snooze in the sun. I did manage to ge a picture which I posted in my old blog.
http://moonbeamsartdolls.blogspot.co.uk/2006/02/reporting-on-my-gourd.html
It was amazing to see him there in the middle of the day.
Love the pictures of the farm animals and the Badgers . Lucky you to see them. One day I saw a badger come through our garden gate. It was in the night and I saw him come in through the cctv camera. Sad I could not take a picture. You live in such a beautiful part of the country. There must be so much to see and be amazed
Thank you so much for the link Shashi. I left a comment on your blog, but I’m not sure it posted so will just say I was amazed to see a fox sleeping on a roof and so close to houses!
DeleteYou are right about nature and back gardens. We’ve been visited by all kinds of things in the last few months, snakes, a baby rabbit, a squirrel, a hawk and lots of other different birds. I don’t know if the visits are increasing, or if I’m just noticing them more. Our neighbours have a baby rabbit in their garden at the moment. It's eating some of their plants, so they would rather it left – I’ve asked them to direct it our way!
I would love to set up a night-vision camera to see what wildlife is around when we are in bed. I hadn’t thought about cctv but of course that would do the same job, must mention it to Terry.
We do live in a lovely place, and I’m glad I am noticing it at last. Thanks for visiting and commenting. xx
What a delight to be able to go for walks and discover these lovely creatures. You do live in a beautiful part of England. Glad to hear you are feeling better and fit. We once had a raccoon wander into our bedroom when we lived in Canada. It was very funny although our cat didn't think so.
ReplyDeleteI’ve never seen a raccoon, unless perhaps in a zoo. It must have been funny to see one walking into your bedroom, but I can imagine how put out your cat would have been. Thank you for your good wishes, I really do feel much better.
DeleteWhat beautiful photos Barbara and such vibrant colours. I hope your walking improves the bone density when you get your next test. I used to do lots of walking, mainly on moorland, the West Pennine Moors as they are within 20 miles from home, I didn't see the point of driving 60 odd miles just to walk 15! Also used to do long challenge walks the longest 28 miles. One of the strangest things was out on the moors saw a Search and Rescue helicopter, bright yellow flying over, then descending and overing - then it just disappeared. I was a bit worried and when I reached the area in which it had disappeared, there was a gully, almost like a mini Grand Canyon (very mini) into which the helicopter had gone, it was on a practice flight.
ReplyDeleteI hardly walk now, as I do get knee problems from time to time and often just go for a bike ride, although I walk to the shops if it's the local ones and also to my sons, rather than take a vehicle.
Hello Anne Marie,
DeleteThank you for asking about the bone density – first time in 10 years the T-score (don’t ask – I’ve no idea) has gone up. Apparently, it is good news, so I must do an update on the blog at some point.
A friend and I took up running 20+ years ago. I enjoyed it at the time, but it played havoc with my knees, all that pounding on pavements. The most I ever ran was 8 miles, so I am mightily impressed with you walking for 28. I walked 9 miles yesterday, but I usually do between 3 and 5 a day. I’ve never really liked bike riding; don’t find it all that comfortable, although I used to when I was young.
It sounds as though you live in a beautiful part of the country. I bet your heart was in your mouth until you saw the helicopter in the gully, quite a thing to see though.
I thought I commented on this post- but don't see my comment. I am so glad you shared these photos with us. I wish I lived closer so I could come for a visit! Such beautiful places and creatures. I have never seen badgers in real life. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI can’t find a previous comment Stephanie, but Blogger does have a mind of its own at times.
DeleteI’m so pleased you enjoyed the photographs, seeing the badgers was a very special experience.
Thanks for visiting. x
For a short while foxes inhabited our street. I saw one scale a high garden wall - something I didn't know they could do. And on a beach nearby a young fox pestered to share our picnic. It was so insistent it because un-nerving. Then, after a while, they were no longer here!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know about this post - human nature as well as nature-nature!
Hi Lucy, I didn’t know foxes could climb either until a blogging friend posted a photographed of one sleeping on top of a garage roof! I wonder why they left your area where you live, maybe food was scarce and they moved on.
DeleteI often read your blog, but I wasn’t sure you would be interested in mine because I mostly ‘talk’ about books, but this post seemed right up your street. Thanks for taking the time to read it, Barbara.