Red Flashes
Red flashing by.
Black socks, trotting slowing.
Stopping, motionless.
Two now-stealthily waiting.
Patience…pouncing, rewarded!
And then gone-
Red flashing by.
© Donna Donabella 2014
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We have had foxes visiting our garden to hunt for several years now. They are fascinating to watch. And the observations of these beautiful creatures led to this poem a couple of years ago.
The top left picture shows the parent foxes after a soaking early spring rain, and one of their offspring (bottom right)…the mighty Hunter, as we have named him. He is a beauty with his winter coat, and an excellent hunter. You can read more about Hunter’s story when he first jumped our fence. We recently had a new addition to our fox family. Vixen, as we call her, showed up on Christmas, and has been visiting to hunt. You can see pictures, and read her story here.
The pictures at the top of the post, in the mosaic below, and at the end of the post are of Hunter as he went about his daily hunting last winter.
I am joining in with Poets United for their weekly poetry link up for poets who blog, and Sanaa@A Dash of Sunny for her Prompt Nights every Friday. Thanks for the invite Sanaa! Please visit these fabulous poetry blogs to read some more wonderful verse.
I am also linking in with Judith@Lavender Cottage who hosts Mosaic Monday.
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The latest issue of the on-line magazine, Rural, is out. It is aptly named, Winter Love. An except of my poem, Blanket of Cotton, and a short essay, In Winter Play In The Garden, are included in this amazing publication. I am honored to be included with so many creative writers and photographers.
The magazine is the creation of Jen@ The Light Laughed. I hope you will check out the latest issue of this free online magazine. You can sign up to read the new issue of Rural here.
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I leave you with a few additional words about our foxy visitors. I welcome you to download the photo and share it.
All other photos and original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Living From Happiness, 2014-2016. Any reprints or use of other photos or content is by permission only.
Oh Donna 😀 this is lovely!! Those pictures are absolutely breathtaking and the foxes look so striking against the snow 😀
Thank you so much for participating. Beautifully done 😀
Lots of love,
Sanaa
I am so pleased you really enjoyed the poem Sanaa. They are beautiful creatures especially striking in snow.
The fleeting fox – even more special and majestic because it is hard to spot! The socks made me smile for some reason too — we all need to keep warm in the snow 😉
Yes I love their socks too! 🙂
They are so beautiful, your red flashes!
I think so too!
You have surely captured the spirit of the fox in this poem. It made me think of years ago when every Sunday a certain fox came to my place to attack my free-range chickens. I solved the problem by keeping the hens indoors on Sunday. Evidently this was a Sunday-only event because on Sunday mornings my road is almost free from traffic while the rest of the week there are cars and farm machinery.
Oh how funny…just hunting chickens on Sundays!
Oh how lucky you are to be visited by foxes. They are such beautiful ‘red flashes.’ I took a look at some of the earlier photos too. What fun it must be to watch them!
It is magical to watch them Mary! And I feel lucky.
i love the color and motion in this poem. I could see the foxes.
Thanks Melinda…
Foxes are truly brilliant in winter.. That red color is amazing. Last summer we saw polar foxes in the mountains… Not white in summer though,
Oh how lucky Bjorn to see the white polar foxes!
The pictures are beautiful the rich color of red flashing by with black socks..leaves a great image with the reader. A fox is a bit magical as they are quick you see them and then in a flash they are gone. I haven’t seen one in while.
I agree…very magical Truedessa….so glad you enjoyed the image of the fox!
Interesting ‘fox’ came into our pieces…I’ll have to look that up?
I agree…interesting we were both thinking of foxes.
http://www.spiritanimal.info/fox-spirit-animal/
Fascinating!
Amazing observation, Donna 🙂
Beautifully written and stunning picture 🙂
Oh thank you so much Purba!
This is a sight I would truly love to see. Thank you for sharing the experience.
They are amazing Kerry!
How wonderful to come here and see your family of foxes. How lucky you are ! Wonderful photos….the thinness of the parents shows the toll winter takes. You live on such blessed land – the animals are feeling your friendly and peaceful energy and know they are safe.
We do live on blessed land…and I am so grateful!
Oh my.
Beautiful, intelligent, charming critters.
And a reminder that it is too long since I have seen one.
I couldn’t agree more Soosie!
a really nice diamante poem, you have truly captured the nuance of the fox
thanks for dropping by my Sunday Lime
much love…
Thanks and much love to you gillena!
Beautifully captured… both in words and in Pictures.
ZQ
Thank you so much my friend!
So lovely to see your foxy red flashes 🙂
Thanks Cherie!
Foxes are beautiful creatures and your post honors them greatly. It was much enjoyed.
I am so glad you think so Robin!
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing the poem, photos and background story.
My pleasure Rosemary!
Wonderful title! The repetition in the opening and closing lines holds the piece beautifully. An awesome write!
Wow thanks so much Wendy!
What a treat to look out and see those beautiful animals… they look fantastic in the snow!
I think so too!
Oh, wow!
Indeed!
You fox images are such great captures. The poem is cute too. Our area has been having more fox sightings this year for some reason. Good breeding season last year I suspect.
Must be Donna…glad you enjoyed the foxes!
Hunter is gorgeous. I suppose if I kept chickens, I’d hate foxes. But since I don’t, I love seeing them in my garden and am grateful to them for helping to keep the rodent population under control.
I agree. I would feel different if I had chickens too Jean!
Handsome foxes! It’s sure fun to watch them.
Absolutely!
Good morning, I love the cute poem and the gorgeous red fox. Lovely shots. Happy February, enjoy your new week!
Thanks so much Eileen!
Nice sighting. Almost as sly as coyote. I just saw some footprints in the snow that might be fox near my chicken coop!
Oh I hope not!
Majestic, simply majestic!
Thanks so much!
My darling Donna,
your fox is truly majestic, those we have here in northern Italy are more little and their tail, always beautiful, isn’t so … lush ! … Truly a charming creature, and your verses describe this Beauty so very well !
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post, my darling,
may your week be blessed with joy and wonder,
with all my heart
Dany
Your fox sounds charming too Dany!
Now you’ve inspired me to see what the characteristics are of the fox, Donna, as an animal guide:
The symbolic meanings associated with the fox are:
Physical or mental responsiveness, increased awareness
Cunning; seeing through deception; call to be discerning
Ability to find your way around, to be swift in tricky sitations
Affinity with nocturnal activities and dream work
Love this Ginnie, thanks….I love animal lore and have studied it some!
Beautiful captures….thanks for sharing this…..
Enjoy your week!
You are most welcome.
Beautiful poem, pictures and I am honored by your generosity. Thank you for sharing these magnificent photos. You are blessed to live in a place where nature is so wild.
I agree Myrna…we are lucky!
Lovely fox and poem, Donna! I am always thrilled to see one here.
Thanks so much Pat!
hello Donna
Such a lovely mosaic of fox in the snow. Those photos reminded me of a great painting “The First Winter” by Japanese painter Uemura Atsushi I love. Thank you for sharing.
I am very honored…thank you for such nice thoughts!
Your poem is wonderful, I love foxes apart from their destructive hunting nature! Which is a big part of them but your poem reminds me of the charm of the fox!! We have neighbours even here in the city who have lost chickens, apparently the foxes live along the railway line, they are brave animals 🙂
Have a happy week 🙂
So glad I reminded you of their charm! Unfortunately they do love chickens.
red flashing by – sums up so well the movement of fox – they seems to appear out of nowhere. Lucky to live so close to so much wildlife. Congrats on being included in Rural mag too – well deserved Donna
Thanks Laura! They do just appear, don’t they.
What a lovely post and photos. Thanks, also, for the information on the online magazine called Rural. I’m going to check it out.
Hope you enjoyed the magazine, RURAL, Pattie!
Love your Red Flash 🙂 The poem suits these beautiful predators perfectly. How fortunate you are to have these beauties visit your place. You have taken some lovely shots of them. Hunter is such a handsome devil!
We love our foxes Wendy! So glad you do too!
Nice observation and pictures are amazing!
So glad you enjoyed the post!
Gosh…I feel as if I’m late to the red flash party! Loved this…and good to see that others have shared info about the meaning of the fox. I refer to my “Animal Speak” book so often when animals come into my life… Thank you for sharing!
Glad you stopped by to the fox party Robin!
Red Foxes are just so beautiful to begin with and add in the element of snow…sweetness!
I agree Mary…the snow brings out their beauty!
Hi Donna,
Your foxes are so cute! We woke up Sunday morning to find two foxes sleeping at the top of our driveway where the snow had piled up from the snowblower. They were so cute. I tried to get pictures but my flash ruined the two I was hoping to share on my blog. They were so close and would have been perfect. Anyway, my flash did scare them off. I really enjoyed your photos and thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Sandi
Oh too bad about the photos of the foxes….I do love them, and I agree they are adorable!