Fox Follow-up

Nancy and I experienced over a week where we had an unusually high number of fox-sightings, where the animals were very close to us and our house. Although its den was elsewhere, we saw fox many times throughout the day. This was an exciting and uncommon experience, but it had its sad side too, which I'll explain later. But first, a few photos.

The photo above is closely cropped so it may seem a bit blurry, but I wanted to point out the differences in color between this one and the other one. Yes, there are at least two fox, and though there may be more than two, I think we have been seeing only two different ones.

 The one above appears older and healthier. Note the black shading on the back. I cannot tell from this angle if it a male fox or a female, which is called a vixen. 

The fox below is clearly smaller and quite mangy-looking. It could be a young one. During mid-day on Tuesday, I surprised the smaller fox as it was curled up inside a five-gallon pail that was tipped on its side by the garden. It scrambled out and ran, stopping after about fifty yards to look back at me in that unique, fox-like manner. 

Five minutes later while I was still roaming the yard, I saw the larger fox return, trot up to the pail, and look inside. Seeing nothing, it quickly gazed around for danger before it ran off. It looked pretty surprised that the little fox was gone. Later I smelled the inside of that pail. It was really a strong odor! I'd guess the smaller fox napped in there often.

The next day we saw no fox, and we haven't seen them since, which led Nancy and me to speculate why.
The answer, I think, is obvious now. Our house and yard provided an easy food source for a short time.

In May and early June I noticed that there were no rabbits around. Last year they were all over the yard. Apparently, the fox made short work of them last winter and this spring. Then this spring we experienced lots of robins hopping on the ground in the back yard, and they seemed more tame and unaware than usual. I remember that Nancy and I commented on the plentiful robin population every day we saw them. There aren't as many tame ones around now. We also had cedar waxwings in the junipers, wrens that would complain with only common, wren-like regularity, and lots of brave chipping sparrows that would hop near our feet when we sat on the porch. When the fox were around the waxwings left, the wrens became very noisy, and for awhile the chipping sparrows became more shy.

The sad side of the fox-sightings is that the fox hunted the rabbits, robins, low-nesting waxwings and chipping sparrows very aggressively until the "easy pickings" were gone. Now they have moved on.
Well, I'm not sad about the rabbits being gone, and the surviving waxwings may return again. The wrens are undamaged, and because the fox are not around, they complain less. Chipping sparrows are back hopping near our feet again. I think their nests were higher in the arborvitae. However, I was really sad to see a number of scattered robin feathers where the fox had been successful. I counted five.

Well, the fox were just trying to make a living, and I certainly do not begrudge a wild animal that right. They live a hard, unforgiving life. If they don't make a kill, they will die.
I do, however, continue to chase away well-fed house cats from our yard because they do not need the birds for food or live toys. I wouldn't hurt any kitties, but I prefer they lead their semi-civilized lives in their own yards.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson

Fox Out Front

I'm used to getting a glimpse of the elusive fox once or twice during a summer, but recently I've surprised the animal far more times than I have during my entire life.
Last week, I heard the wrens making even more noise than they usually do, so I ventured over to the wren house to see if there was an issue. I thought heard a slight growl. Figuring a neighbor's dog might be in the brush, I clapped my hands. Then I saw a fox tail slip behind the arborvitae. Obviously, I had no camera, but after the fact, I took some pictures of the area.

 Imagine, if you would, playing hide and seek with a fox among these arborvitaes. The pyramidal arborvitaes on the left are about 15 feet tall and 4 feet wide. The global arborvitaes on the right are about 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The fox outsmarted me for several minutes before I saw the tail gliding away over the hill about 40 feet away. This whole array of greenery is less than 50 feet from our house, an unusually close distance for a fox to visit for very long.

The next morning as Nancy and I were about to venture out to look at the flowers, she stopped and ran for the camera, exclaiming, "Fox!"

Fox was less than 10 feet from the house, looking for some bug protein among the rocks. Looks pretty thin, huh? Maybe Fox might actually be raising offspring in the nearby juniper bushes which are only about 30 feet from the house.

 I know this is unlikely as heck,  but why else do we keep seeing him so close to the house? Why is he so reluctant to leave? Why else do the wrens make even more noise than usual? Why did the cedar waxwings that nested in the junipers this spring, leave after a short time?  Eight to ten cedar waxwings usually nest in the low junipers and entertain us all summer and into the fall, but their nest in the low junipers could easily be reached and robbed  by Fox.

Fox posing by mugo pine, near the junipers, about 12 feet from the house.

Could the low junipers (center) conceal the den of Fox?

The wrens have taken over one of my bluebird houses, and you can see in the photo above the close proximity of the house to the low junipers. I know it's pretty unlikely that Fox will raise young this close to humans, but he keeps appearing almost daily and doesn't seem all that frightened of us. Of course, we've done nothing to scare him, unless you count the clapping I did when I thought his growl was a neighbor's dog.

Well, it's fun to speculate, and we'll be watching to see what happens. I'll let you know.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson

Renaissance Festival, 2011

Nancy and I have attended the Minnesota Renaissance Festival nearly every year since its beginning in the early 1970s. We enjoy the comedy, the atmosphere, the animals, the juggling, the crowd, the crafts, and most of all, the Puke and Snot Show.

The longest-running and oldest act at the Renaissance Festival, Sir Ralph Puke, left, and Sir Thomas Snot, right, have been dishing out their humor with sword play for 41 years. Mark Sieve is the original Puke, and John Gamoke took over as Snot with only days of preparation after Joe Kudla passed away in August of 2008. They both need to be commended for their courage in pulling off what must have been a tough transition. This is their 4th year together in the act and they were in fine form.  

Both last year and this year, Nancy and I came early to get a chance to talk to Mark and John near their stand where they sell tee shirts, mugs, and other Puke and Snot stuff. Mark held up last year's photo of the four of us. Below is this year's photo. As you can see, no one has aged, and I am even wearing a different shirt than I wore last year.

Nancy made a quilt from the Puke and Snot tee shirts that we've purchased over the years. She took a couple photos of it and gave Mark a copy. He seemed genuinely pleased with the small gift and said he would put it in a ring binder with other Renaissance Festival photos. You can see a corner of the quilt in the picture behind the photo Mark is holding of the four of us from last year's visit.

Although these guys are, indeed, celebrities, they honestly enjoy talking to fans and friends at the Festival. John's son Zane, pictured below, took the photo.

Mark Sieve, Zane Gamoke, John Gamoke.

This year's show was mostly new material that featured Sir Puke's plan to become a politician. The program was hilarious and also had lots of the old comic gems that Puke and Snot have performed throughout the past years.

One more thing, I recommend Mark's book, Call Me Puke: A Life on the Dirt Circuit, a memoir of the beginning days to the recent past. The book is funny, serious, revealing, and a good read. To purchase the book go to www.magaga.com

Sir Puke among the audience.

Sir Snot among the audience.

After the Puke and Snot Show, we checked out the animals, the jousting, the crafts, the juggler, and some food. Steak on a stick is my favorite. It goes well with red wine.

Nancy and I used to raise hogs so watching the little guys dig in the dirt brought back some good memories.

We enjoyed watching the handler wash the elephant.

The jousting is an attraction that contains action and humor. There is a bit of the "good guy" vs "bad guy" game that you might find in pro-wrestling, but there is also the honest challenge of riding your horse at another guy who has a long stick pointing at you. I wouldn't say it is completely safe.

The sign on the box says, "Buy Something," and like a number of other shops, this one offered some bargains. Marked down merchandise is something rare at the Renaissance. The economy seems to have affected all areas. So if you like bargains, attend next weekend and see what you find.

We watched players throwing knives and pins close to each other and a volunteer from the audience.

By the expression on this volunteer's face, we can conclude she can feel the breeze of the pins as they pass by.

Before we left, Nancy and I spent a bit of quiet time by our favorite spot in the shade by Wind Rose Mill.

We reluctantly take our leave of the fantasy world but we know we'll be back next year.

Thanks to Mark Sieve and John Gamoke and all the wonderful performers and workers who make the Renaissance Festival what it is.

My post on last year's Renaissance Festival was September 6, 2010.

To purchase Mark's book go to www.magaga.com 

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson, except for the one taken by John's son Zane.

Minnesota State Fair, 2010

Sure, I agree the State Fair is all about food, but not the way you might think. More on that later.

For me, any fair (state or county) is about people and their achievements with animals, crafts, and arts of all kinds. Please let me show you.

On our visit to the Minnesota State Fair on Tuesday, Nancy and I follow the same plan we have for years:
We arrive at the fair before seven to check out the animals before the barns get crowded and before the heat starts to work on the odors.  First, we stop to snap a photo of Nancy near the Grandstand.

We arrive at the cow barns before all of the cattle need to get up,

but many hard-working kids and adults are beginning to tend their animals by washing or currying them or by cleaning their stalls.

If you ever catch yourself being cynical about a generation a few notches before yours, a trip to the fair will quickly set you straight. Kids of all sizes work alone or with adults to accomplish every task necessary.

In the swine building, we enjoy watching the kids and adults parade their hogs in front of the judges. Aren't these kids great!

This young woman wins first place with her entry.

We continue on to see poultry, sheep, horses, and fish at the DNR pool, before we take a break in the shade north of the Poultry Building and listen to music by a group from Ecuador as we eat our lunch. We laugh as we witness each fair goer who passes by fall into a little dance. Some do it immediately and others resist till almost out of range, but nearly everyone feels the need to move a bit to the irresistible beat. The shade, the music, and the people-watching keep us there for half an hour.

This little girl dances almost the entire time we are there, taking a break only once in a while to be hugged by her mom.













Now the buildings are getting crowded. We walk through the Miracle of Birth Center, which is packed with kids and adults viewing baby animals of all types,

 East of the Miracle of Birth Center is the FFA Chapter House and Leadership Center, and we stop to visit. I've always been a big fan of Future Farmers of America because I know their programs do so much to develop youth confidence.

Jeff Knobloch introduces himself to me. Jeff is from Morris, MN, and is Region III President. As he tells me of his plans to attend the U of M this fall, he grins with enthusiasm.

Since he asks what brings me to the fair, I confess that I am looking for an outlet for my books. He is a real gentleman so he pages through several of them, but I am pleased that he does seem honestly interested. I give him some literature on my books and let him get back to greeting others after wishing him the best of luck at school.









While Jeff and I chat, Nancy meets Erin Daninger and snaps her picture as she talks to the Kruize family from Fargo, ND. Erin is from Forest Lake and is State Secretary of the FFA.









After talking to these two young achievers, Nancy and I agree that the young people in next generation are pretty good hands to be in.

But my pitch for today's youth doesn't stop here. Next we visit the 4-H Building where kids achieve in areas way too numerous and diverse to mention. Students display projects in science, technology, arts and crafts of all kinds, and you will never find a place where you will be greeted by so many genuine smiles from young people and adults.


I like the 4-H pledge, truly a pledge that can help make a better world.

 

The two girls at the door greet us with big smiles and say "Hello" as we approach.

Here are a few photos of some of the projects:

Making furniture

Making quilts (Nancy is partial to this category)

Painting

Science and technology

Restoration













Activities.

We sit down and rest while we watch little kids learning to jump rope.

We stop to enjoy a performance of "This is Our Time,"a show performed by 4-H actors, singers, dancers and musicians. Costumes, set and technical work are all provided by members of 4-H.
Not only did they do a great job of it all, but can you see those smiles?!






We had met some people from the Farm Bureau at Farmfest , which was August 3-5, so we decide to stop at the Farm Bureau building to talk with members.
Sarah Durenberger and Mike Rouillard welcome us with a fun handout that instructs us where to stop at each of 4 stations and discover answers to questions about farming. On the back of the quiz is a recipe for pizza, and we are referred to displays in front of the building where plants that produce pizza ingredients are growing.

After we finish, Mike and Sarah are kind enough to take time to look at my books. While Mike gives me information explaining whom to contact, Sarah reads through a couple books.

Apparently Sarah is not only smart, but she has great taste. She buys two books and has me sign them before we leave.










We have just enough time to go to the car to get more books before the the Minnesota Cooks Event which begins at 1:00 PM.

Now, I don't mind sounding like the former teacher that I am, so I'll ask, "Do you remember at the start of this blog I said that the Minnesota Stare Fair is all about food but not the way you might think?"

Well, every place I highlighted on this blog teaches about food:
The kids and adults working in the barns can explain what it takes to care for animals, or just watch them and you will see the love they have for what they do.
The animals in the barns are themselves the very food we eat. We need to respect them and the people who care for them.
4-H members are constantly involved with projects that deal with food.
The FFA leaders help lead our future in food production.
The Farm Bureau has programs that show kids and adults facts about food.
No pictures are attached of the Ag Building, but it is full of wall to wall displays of fruits and vegetables and honey and wine. The booths are handled by knowledgeable people in every area.

Notice I didn't mention anything about all the "fair food"everyone raves about, but I figure that corn dogs and foot-longs get enough free publicity from the media.

The things I mention require no money other than your entry and parking fees, but experiencing them does require time and a healthy curiosity.

There are hundreds of great places to visit and learn about food at the fair that I have not mentioned. I urge you to find them all and visit them, and if you have the money, you can always enjoy a foot-long or a corn dog as you visit.

At 1:00 PM we plan to watch Minnesota Cooks Event, sponsored by  Food Alliance, Minnesota Farmers Union, Star Tribune and other organizations, and featuring local organic farmers and cooks from local restaurants that are committed to using local produce. Also, the event features celebrity tasters.

This will be the subject of Friday's blog, which will contain more about food at the fair, but maybe not quite what you may expect?