Cat Scat!

Our Foxy visitor has been getting braver...

One day it's the windmill garden

The next it's right outside our back door!

Over the past couple of weeks, she has been spotted prowling the farm a little too regularly with a rather predatory gleam in her eye.  This Happy Goat-Herder is getting concerned.  As is Mama Peacock and her babies!

But what to do?   As a rule, I am not a mean-spirited, gun-toting farm-girl.  Well, ok, but it was a really BIG snake.  This Foxy lady has a family to raise, and kids will make you do all kinds of crazy things.  Like throw caution to the wind and rub shoulders with the enemy...

She just doesn't know how crafty this enemy is!  I remembered that the Boyd Big Cat Sanctuary is just down the road.  I called them up for some suggestions.  They are a non-profit animal sanctuary for lions, tigers and bears (oh my).  Unfortunately they don't take in fox.  No exceptions.  Not even for this adorable little family...

But the receptionist told me they have a wonderful natural repellant that works great for pesky wildlife.

I immediately drove over and got a pail...

of Tiger Poop!

Big Cat Scat.  The best Organic Repellant that nature has to offer.  Did not know this was a marketable item.

Well, then, it seems my life has just been reduced to spreading tiger poop around the farm...in 100 degree plus weather...

Does it get much better?!

Amazingly, it appears to be working!

At least on Casey the barn cat.  The smell of tiger poop definitely does not appeal!  Praying that little Miss Fox thinks we've hired Tony the Tiger to patrol our borders!

Hope your day is filled abundant with friendly visitors and no crap!

                                                     Always, Jane

Foxy Visitor

Ok, the Goat Baby Bawling is getting to everyone...

Even Daisy, our placid, good-natured, guardian Donkey, is getting cranky!

The incessant crying of spoiled goat babies echoes long and loud across the farm.  And unbeknownst to us, the distressing cry of weaning babies has acted like a dinner bell for some hungry hunters...

As I headed out to feed this morning, early, I was startled to find I wasn't alone.  Mama Fox eyed me warily from just across the Windmill garden.  Way too close!  And way too comfortable!!

And even more startling, she didn't turn tail and run when she saw me.  I had time to turn around, run into the house, grab the camera and come back out to take these pics.  It probably helped that the dogs were all inside eating breakfast :)

As I snapped away, you could see Mama Fox weighing her options.  Friend or Foe... Flight or Fight... She flinched with each camera shutter click, but held her ground.  I was too excited by the chance to get these pics to be afraid.  (Apologies for the quality of the pics, obviously in my excitement I forgot to hold the camera still.)

And as I clicked a few more, I noticed out little black cat, Pebbles, in the background... Gasp! 

See her there at the back of the tractor?  She's hiding behind the log-splitter.

And she seemed oblivious to the danger!  Fox! Fox! Fox!  I tried to telepathically warn her, but to no avail.  She hopped over the log-splitter.  I drew a breath in, knowing I couldn't save her.  And that's when she saw the Fox.

 Fox! @#$&*!  (That's cat language for Oh Crap!) This alarm was accompanied by much hissing and spitting on Pebbles part.  Confusion on the foxes.  And flabbergasting on my part (I forgot to take pictures - I was sure it was gonna be ugly...)

When I realized Pebbles had the upperhand I started snapping again.  Here the Fox has backed up, Pebbles is behind the windmill and I'm still holding my breath.

I'm not sure what she told Mama Fox, but she sure looked satisfied with herself by the time she rounded the corner...

As she made her way to my side, I was vaguely aware of the goat babies crying for their breakfast, and the peacock's rusty cawing as he emerged from his nightly tree-top perch.  Pebbles rubbed against my legs, happily purring as Mama Fox and I shared a respectful moment of understanding...

Then she kindly headed on for breakfast brunch down the road.

May all your daily visitors be as engaging, breathtakingly-wild and ever-so-polite as our Foxy Friend.

Feeling God's Grace-Hand on our farm this day...

 Always, Jane