The Magic of the Woods
(copied across from my old UKP journals)
I left my home for my evenings wander much earlier than usual last night and walked up behind the stable block. In front of me the paddock filled to the brim with buttercups was golden in the last of the days sunlight. As I leant on the fence there, the horse came up to me to say hello, we had not seen each other since she was taken away at the end of her pregnancy to have her foal elsewhere and we both exchanged pleasantries. Then she went over to her young son, and stood behind him, moving him with her body and face towards me. Shy, he was not having any of it and stayed stubbornly immobile. She tried again, he stood his ground on legs so shaky it is amazing that he can stand. She tried another tack, she trotted over to me again then past me, son followed till he came level with me. If I had put my hand out I could have touched him, but I wouldn’t because I could see how wary he was. Then with a strange cry he bolted off, and mum went after him. She looked back at me, and I told her how beautiful he is, how well she has done, and that she has a son to be proud of.
I walked hearing the bird song around me, the gentle neighs from mother to son in the paddock now at my side, and looked over to Farmhouse Wood where the dying suns rays shown through the trees, pinks and golds caressing the branches. In my mind I drank it all in, it is so beautiful, but my heart is sad for all this is to be lost to me. I cannot bear it
Once at the estates open parklands where the grass spreads out uninterrupted for acres I stood and looked across. Behind me the crows and rooks were gathering for the night and their strident calls echoed loudly amongst the trees. The grass rustled a short distance away and I looked across to see a small cute very fluffy ginger puppy ...... hang on a minute, that’s no puppy, ......... it’s a wee young fox cub :O Astounded I stood stock still, silently watching his progress through the grass along the edge of the wood. Then a few yards away from me he went into the wood. I moved down the road a little and could see him mooching about, sniffing here and there, bouncing about, and enjoying being out. He was very small, maybe the third of the size of one of my cats. Much smaller than I would expect to see out on his own, but he looked healthy enough. He then crashed off through the greenery, so whilst I couldn’t see him, I could see them moving so knew where he was. Then just as I thought things couldn’t possibly get any better, the tawny owl flew over and landed on the tree about 6 foot above me and a few feet away :O I was just so amazed, I was held spellbound, the owl looked down at the fox cub, then down at me, held my astounded gaze for a while then flew off, across the road and into the wood the other side. The wee fox cub then gave chase to something I couldn’t see, and I was left standing there, feeling light headed, saying to myself, ‘Breathe lass, breathe.’
I remained standing there for a while, asking the Goddess to watch over this wee chap with his lack of fear. Thinking I should head home now and listening to the bedtime calls and songs of the woodland birds, the sound of cracking leaves made me look in that direction. The fox cub was back again, and only 3 yards away from me he began to play and snuffle about. He was so cute, so sweet, I offered more words to the Goddess for his safety from the shotgun. I watched him for ages before he headed off in the same direction out of view and my hearing.
Then a short while later he appeared again, this time on the road some distance from me. He wandered up following interesting smells from the road, wandering all over the road, trotting at times, standing still at others. Then he sat down, back legs apart, leaned down over his stomach and cleaned the tip of his tail I never knew foxes sat like that He got up and continued on the same crazy path, the curiosity and joys of youth keeping a normal sense of fear or concerns out of his mind. So many times he had looked in my direction and never realised I was there. He got nearer and nearer to me, again I tried not to breathe, I wanted to see how close he would get. At two and half yards away he finally spotted me, seemed to peer down towards me, then did a runner into the woods. Damn. But wow
Giving thanks to the Goddess for such heart warming, magical and special scenes for me I left for home, accompanied by the call of the owl. Approaching the stables I could see Susie sitting on cottage window sill, looking in my direction. I waved at her (yes I do wave at my cats ) and ducked to avoid the bats that swoop so low as I walked behind the stables. A word of prayer for Matilda by my car where she was killed, and more words to her at her grave in the garden and then I was indoors.
I cannot bear to leave here but the Goddess knows how to keep my spirits up Thank you Nantosuelta, you keep me going
I left my home for my evenings wander much earlier than usual last night and walked up behind the stable block. In front of me the paddock filled to the brim with buttercups was golden in the last of the days sunlight. As I leant on the fence there, the horse came up to me to say hello, we had not seen each other since she was taken away at the end of her pregnancy to have her foal elsewhere and we both exchanged pleasantries. Then she went over to her young son, and stood behind him, moving him with her body and face towards me. Shy, he was not having any of it and stayed stubbornly immobile. She tried again, he stood his ground on legs so shaky it is amazing that he can stand. She tried another tack, she trotted over to me again then past me, son followed till he came level with me. If I had put my hand out I could have touched him, but I wouldn’t because I could see how wary he was. Then with a strange cry he bolted off, and mum went after him. She looked back at me, and I told her how beautiful he is, how well she has done, and that she has a son to be proud of.
I walked hearing the bird song around me, the gentle neighs from mother to son in the paddock now at my side, and looked over to Farmhouse Wood where the dying suns rays shown through the trees, pinks and golds caressing the branches. In my mind I drank it all in, it is so beautiful, but my heart is sad for all this is to be lost to me. I cannot bear it
Once at the estates open parklands where the grass spreads out uninterrupted for acres I stood and looked across. Behind me the crows and rooks were gathering for the night and their strident calls echoed loudly amongst the trees. The grass rustled a short distance away and I looked across to see a small cute very fluffy ginger puppy ...... hang on a minute, that’s no puppy, ......... it’s a wee young fox cub :O Astounded I stood stock still, silently watching his progress through the grass along the edge of the wood. Then a few yards away from me he went into the wood. I moved down the road a little and could see him mooching about, sniffing here and there, bouncing about, and enjoying being out. He was very small, maybe the third of the size of one of my cats. Much smaller than I would expect to see out on his own, but he looked healthy enough. He then crashed off through the greenery, so whilst I couldn’t see him, I could see them moving so knew where he was. Then just as I thought things couldn’t possibly get any better, the tawny owl flew over and landed on the tree about 6 foot above me and a few feet away :O I was just so amazed, I was held spellbound, the owl looked down at the fox cub, then down at me, held my astounded gaze for a while then flew off, across the road and into the wood the other side. The wee fox cub then gave chase to something I couldn’t see, and I was left standing there, feeling light headed, saying to myself, ‘Breathe lass, breathe.’
I remained standing there for a while, asking the Goddess to watch over this wee chap with his lack of fear. Thinking I should head home now and listening to the bedtime calls and songs of the woodland birds, the sound of cracking leaves made me look in that direction. The fox cub was back again, and only 3 yards away from me he began to play and snuffle about. He was so cute, so sweet, I offered more words to the Goddess for his safety from the shotgun. I watched him for ages before he headed off in the same direction out of view and my hearing.
Then a short while later he appeared again, this time on the road some distance from me. He wandered up following interesting smells from the road, wandering all over the road, trotting at times, standing still at others. Then he sat down, back legs apart, leaned down over his stomach and cleaned the tip of his tail I never knew foxes sat like that He got up and continued on the same crazy path, the curiosity and joys of youth keeping a normal sense of fear or concerns out of his mind. So many times he had looked in my direction and never realised I was there. He got nearer and nearer to me, again I tried not to breathe, I wanted to see how close he would get. At two and half yards away he finally spotted me, seemed to peer down towards me, then did a runner into the woods. Damn. But wow
Giving thanks to the Goddess for such heart warming, magical and special scenes for me I left for home, accompanied by the call of the owl. Approaching the stables I could see Susie sitting on cottage window sill, looking in my direction. I waved at her (yes I do wave at my cats ) and ducked to avoid the bats that swoop so low as I walked behind the stables. A word of prayer for Matilda by my car where she was killed, and more words to her at her grave in the garden and then I was indoors.
I cannot bear to leave here but the Goddess knows how to keep my spirits up Thank you Nantosuelta, you keep me going