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Saturday 14 August 2010

Dawn raid

Sultry, about 20° with a sky loaded with layers of dirty wadded cotton-wool.

Woken this morning at dawn by a riot in the chicken coop. Not only the usual morning cacophany of seven juvenile cockerels and a big guy, but also the bell-like call of distress and the cackling of panic. 

Jumped out of bed, sending a surprising number of cats skittering (can they all be mine?). Bleary-eyed, I belted down three flights of stairs, out of the front door, and sprinted through the sleeping village. Then came the 500m uphill hop-skip-and-jump across the cobbles and the stepping stones to the coop. In PJs and bare feet.

There, as my eyes finally focused, I saw a large fox, shining gold in the morning sunlight and looking handsome as all get-out. He was pacing the perimeter fence dangerously. 

Having lost one Chicken Licken to the chicken hawk the other day, I was glad to see Foxy Loxy off.

This time...


Image: The Fox of Highgate, linocut 38 x28 cm, Jazmin Velasco



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an adventure! Well done you for saving the chicks... thank goodness they are good at waking up the neighbourhood in times of distress.

Debbie said...

Those wild critters can cause such a problem. We have all sorts - even in our neighborhood. I hear them killing each other at night.

Louise | Italy said...

Hi Debbie -- it's like that living in south London these days...

injaynesworld said...

With us, it's the coyotes. I think a fox would be much prettier, but I still wouldn't want him near our chickens.

Karin said...

Amazing rescue! I had no idea you have to sprint through the village - hope your feet are ok! Hey Foxy - don't mess with Louise!!

Saturday 14 August 2010

Dawn raid

Sultry, about 20° with a sky loaded with layers of dirty wadded cotton-wool.

Woken this morning at dawn by a riot in the chicken coop. Not only the usual morning cacophany of seven juvenile cockerels and a big guy, but also the bell-like call of distress and the cackling of panic. 

Jumped out of bed, sending a surprising number of cats skittering (can they all be mine?). Bleary-eyed, I belted down three flights of stairs, out of the front door, and sprinted through the sleeping village. Then came the 500m uphill hop-skip-and-jump across the cobbles and the stepping stones to the coop. In PJs and bare feet.

There, as my eyes finally focused, I saw a large fox, shining gold in the morning sunlight and looking handsome as all get-out. He was pacing the perimeter fence dangerously. 

Having lost one Chicken Licken to the chicken hawk the other day, I was glad to see Foxy Loxy off.

This time...


Image: The Fox of Highgate, linocut 38 x28 cm, Jazmin Velasco



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an adventure! Well done you for saving the chicks... thank goodness they are good at waking up the neighbourhood in times of distress.

Debbie said...

Those wild critters can cause such a problem. We have all sorts - even in our neighborhood. I hear them killing each other at night.

Louise | Italy said...

Hi Debbie -- it's like that living in south London these days...

injaynesworld said...

With us, it's the coyotes. I think a fox would be much prettier, but I still wouldn't want him near our chickens.

Karin said...

Amazing rescue! I had no idea you have to sprint through the village - hope your feet are ok! Hey Foxy - don't mess with Louise!!