My work office is in a small city of maybe 45,000 people. I’ve written before, I think, about the scraggly lawn outside my window that’s backed by scraggly woods. Charlie installed a bird feeder for me, and I also sprinkle food directly on the grass and dirt for birds who prefer to ground feed. I can have a couple of dozen birds at a time, along with a half-dozen squirrels and a bunny or two. Once I had two deer. Now I seem to have attracted a pair of gray foxes.

They are healthy looking animals–sharp-faced, bright-eyed, about as big as medium dogs with big brushy tails and perennially perked ears. They don’t seem particularly nervous as they, too, eat my bird seed.

I do so want those foxes to be all right. I love seeing them, but I do wonder how they got here. It’s got to have been as unconventional journey to this place for them as it’s been for me.

I’m glad they’re here; I’m glad I’m here. They’re welcome to as much birdseed as they can eat outside my window in the scraggly grass amidst the equally scraggly trees