Just Another Walk On the Ranch.

Somebody surprised my on my walk this morning.

A young fox. 

Actually it was mama fox that scared me when she screamed at me only about 20 yards away. 

She kept calling to this one who didn't seem quite so nervous.

I decided to walk through the freshly cut hay this morning

and I spotted some wild roses.

As I stepped through a windrow toward the pink blooms,

a sound like a scream, or a screech, a bit like a person...but not really

sucked the breath out of me, I about dropped my camera,

and instantly my heart pounded in my ears.

Mama fox took off.

But this little one didn't seem too alarmed.

A bit like it thought it was hidden.

I had plenty of time to switch lenses on my camera 

from "flower-shooter" to "long-distance shooter".

I could just hear the thoughts of the lil' fox:

"Mom is freaking out, but I'm ok.  I'm hiding behind this flower."

"And this clover is so tall, she can't see me.  I am so sneaky."

"Uh-oh, maybe she can see me..."

Mama yelps again...

Here's mama:

And off lil' fox goes...

and I go back to flowers and birds.

Often I drag my feet about going for the walk,

but Toby, the beagle, encourages me out the door with his excitement.

Toby never heard the foxes because he was too busy smelling them around the hay bales.

Just like he doesn't hear me calling him.

Even though I'm reluctant to go out,

Toby and I are rarely disappointed,

and almost always are surprised by something.