What Does the Fox Say?

This past Sunday morning, I woke up with a to-do list about a mile long.  You know, finish wrapping presents, bake cookies, finish shopping, get groceries, etc.  Oh yeah, do some schoolwork.  You get the idea.  And then, as I was lying in my bed planning my day, my daughter came into my room.  "Mom, hurry, come look at the fox in our yard."  So I crawled out of my warm bed and headed downstairs.  Looking out the back window, I saw what all the fuss was about.  This little beauty.

And so of course I stopped dead in my tracks.  Well, actually I went and grabbed my camera first.  Then I sat myself down on the couch and watched.  Here was this beautiful little fox nestled into one of the now dead plants on the hill in our back yard.  In the middle of the city.  It was the perfect cover--hiding in plain sight.  That to-do list?  Completely forgotten.  My daughter and I sat and watched this little fox for nearly an hour.  He napped, wiggled his ears, looked up now and then, did some serious yawning, and napped a little more.  We watched, and we loved every minute of it.

I could have watched it all day.  But something spooked him, and off he went.  Oh well.  It was wonderful while it lasted.  And I found it to be such a good reminder for me this time of year.  Stop.  Take time.  Look around, enjoy, appreciate.  See the beauty that is right in your own back yard.

I did get some things checked off my Christmas list.  And I still have some things to do.  But that's OK.  And that little fox?  So very clever.