One of the nice things about having a fenced backyard is that we can let Breesy out to take care of her lady business and not have to stand out there with her. When she’s finished, she simply stands by the back door until one of us notices she’s ready to come back in with the humans.

A few Sunday afternoons ago, Lou and I were watching a movie when something flashed past the windows that look out onto our patio. It doesn’t take much movement to catch your eye.

I jumped up more out of reflex than curiosity.

Whatever it was, it had my attention.

There she was.

A beautiful red fox.

She ran across our backyard and went through the fence rails like they weren’t even there. In a couple of seconds, she was in my neighbors George and Debbie’s backyard. She sat there for nearly a minute, looking around as if she were deciding where to go next. Then she eased through George and Debbie’s fence and disappeared from sight with that easy, loping gait wild animals seem to have. Never in a hurry, but always ready.

After living here for more than twenty years, it was the first fox I’d ever seen in our
neighborhood.

The next morning she was back.

This time she had her sights set on one of our evergreen trees. We think she was after a squirrel because before long she was climbing into the tree like she owned it.

I stepped onto the patio, banged on the grill with my hand and yelled, “Get away!”

She hopped down, slipped outside the fence and froze.

Absolutely froze.

At first I thought, “Well, she isn’t afraid of people.”

Then it hit me.

She wasn’t being brave.

She was trying not to be seen.

She sat so still that if I hadn’t watched her stop, I might have looked right past her.
George and Debbie told us they’d seen the fox on one of their security cameras. Before long, George and Debbie were looking for the fox, Lou was looking, and I found myself glancing out the back windows every morning and every evening.

The more we watched, the more we realized there wasn’t just one fox.

There were two.

We called Wildlife and Fisheries because we were a little concerned about Breesy. The officer told us this is the time of year when foxes are raising their pups, so they’re out looking for vittles. He also told us the adults usually pair up and raise their young together.

That made perfect sense.

He assured us they generally leave family pets alone and, as an added bonus, help keep mice and other rodents under control.

That made us feel a little better.

Over the next couple of weeks, we caught a glimpse of them only a few more times.

Then, just as quietly as they had appeared, they seemed to disappear.

Until this morning.

Lou was driving into our subdivision when she spotted one crossing the road about a mile from our house. Same neighborhood. Same graceful stride. Off on whatever important fox business awaited.

It made me wonder.

Were there suddenly foxes in our neighborhood?

Or had they been here all along?

It was hard to believe we’d never noticed them before.

I don’t really believe they just showed up this summer.

I think they’ve probably been making their way through our neighborhood and raising their families for years.

The difference wasn’t the foxes.

It was us.

Once we saw one, we started looking.

George and Debbie were looking.

Lou was looking.

I found myself glancing out back every time Breesy went outside.

Funny how that works.

The same thing happens with blessings.

With opportunities.

With kindness.

Sometimes they aren’t new at all.

We just finally start paying attention.

As Best As I Remember It.