Wild Life / Somelight

fox in the river

Hello, friends — Last Saturday a friend of mine and I went out for a row on a windy, choppy Housatonic. A river can get angry with the wind, but this one was more comical, swatting us around and laughing under the surface. We made it to a wide bend where the water becomes shallow and green and noticed a little red face and ears cutting a quiet arrow across the gray. We paused. “A fox! Oh my god a fox!” We watched as it kept its nose just above the water and its puffy white tail sticking out the back. The fox wasn’t a fast swimmer, one doggie paddle at a time, but it was determined. It swam to the shore and did not skip a beat, did not even pause to shake the river from its back, bolting straight up the bank, its red and white blending into the fallen leaves and shadows. It was gone in a second, all traces hushed up by the wind. — Amy Jean

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Where have I been?—

• It’s been a little while, but I’m firing this newsletter up again. I need it, and I miss you. I’ve seen lots of creatures—a black bear at five paces, young bald eagles nesting, a family of swans, baby bunnies under the flowers—but the swimming fox took the cake. I had to share.

• I’ve been working on a series of drawings of light through the trees: Somelight. My exhibition opens at Jennifer Terzian Gallery in Litchfield, Connecticut, on December 7 from 3 to 5pm. Please stop by if you’re in the area.

Also—

• My fox drawing is for sale and part of the proceeds will go to Wildlife in Crisis.

• What animals have you seen? Anything fun, strange, or reassuring? I’d love to hear. Let’s pick up where we left off.

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Wild Life #45 / this newsletter is a place to learn about the life around us, one drenched fox at a time. I do this because I’m not sure what to do about the millions of species in danger of extinction. It means something to see and enjoy the life around us. Thanks for reading and sharing. I’ll be back next month!