Note: You are free to use these images in any way you wish, to print them out, as screensavers or for any purpose that works for you. We all need to be reminded of the beauty and power of the natural world.

Just for the record, that gray above the kit’s heads is the farmhouse. We have five foxes living 400 yards from our chickens. As my friend and photo tyrant Christine Glade said on Facebook, she hopes my chicken budget is large. I have to confess that sometimes I think more like a photographer than a writer, or a normal human. Once my neighbor Adam told me where the den was, I began obsessing on equipment, not life or death animal decisions. Maria and I got up at 5:30 and grabbed a banana, an apple. I took my Canon and two lenses, the 300 mm, which I used for the shot above (and almost sold last week) and the smaller 70-200 mm.

I thought if I got anywhere near them, I did not want one of those tiny and grainy shots. I wanted to see into the soul of a fox. I wanted to see their eyes. Almost impossible, I thought.  I didn’t really imagine I would see the babies out in the open playing. We did not have to wait too long.  We lay down, stayed still and I inched closer. At some point, I entered their comfort zone and the most vigilant – the one above – moved the others into the den. Seeing this was a transformative experience. It really changed the way I look at the world, as photography has done all along for me. And I have learned enough – I was restless because the sun was in my face, not over my back and moved until I could see there would not be glare. Maria was in awe of the moment, she said, and I was thinking, “wow, I think I got it.” And this: I picked the right lens! It was a very powerful experience, thought, bringing me into the nature world in a new and powerful way. I have to sort it out, but I will see things differently from now on. The intensity of the eyes really got into my head. More photos coming.