Fox in the plural.
It seems almost overnight in Colorado Springs now whenever you cross the street you see red fox. As much downtown as in the foothills.
The first night at Camp Casey fox stole two pairs of sandals, actually the equivalent, one of each. But not before comingling everyone’s shoes in what must have been quite an indecisive dance. I woke and thought I’d missed a party.
When Eyes Wide Open visited Colorado College, it involved a geometric arrangement of nearly three thousand army boots and an equal number of civilian shoes on the green of Armstrong Quad. I was among those who stayed up to watch for vandals. But through the night the only activity we observed was that of several pairs of young red fox, making off with boots until the scent of another pair drew their interest. We’d go out every couple hours and rearrange the memorial footware, losing in the end not one.
The fox are getting rather friendly. Colorado College students report one which comes to watch the soccer games regularly. A friend of mine pet a fox, having mistaken it in the dark for something domestic until the feel of the coarse fur tempered the vigor of her stroke. Another friend thought a cat was poking its head out of a canopy and he gave it a friendly pat. They both looked at each other in surprise.
The fox are beautiful to behold running with a cadence like they are swimming on the wind, probably their fluffy tails cannot do but otherwise. If it runs like a dog, then you’ve spotted a coyote. Not even felines have such grace. To see two fox siblings running together multiplies the impression. They may be hunting along opposite sides of the street but you sense it’s the same stream. No doubt it’s a haunting sense too if you are a small rodent.
I particularly like to watch a fox negotiate traffic. He may wait for cars to pass, but more often he’ll weave through, skirting the cars, not the least bit panicked, more intent it seems on keeping in motion.
I’m sorry, maybe it’s a poetic thing. But what is wrong with using the actual plural of fox? Namely, foxes.
Marie. What’s three letters across and means several fox(es)?
Well, I looked it up in the dictionary, as I’m known to do, and it says that the plural of fox is foxes. I am pretty adept at crossword puzzles and I’ve never seen your question as a clue. Maybe you know something that Noah Webster, Will Shortz and I do not. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Maybe you’re thinking of sheep. Or deer. Dear.
Are you on the same internet as I?
Noah’s wife Merriam says otherwise.
As does Oxford, and Answers.com. Dear.
I went to dictionary.com which is, I guess, unreliable. Please accept my apology.
I have many “fox” in my yard, many more than I had a few years ago (I’ve lived in the same house for almost 15 years). It is actually a little bit scary. Sometimes at night when I walk with my children the “fox” actually seem to follow us. They disappear for a bit but then they are right next to us again a few houses up. They are around during the day, running across busy streets, apparently unafraid of cars or people.
This has never been the case. I think the proliferation of “fox” may become a problem.
Why? They haven’t yet stolen a child.
Maybe “foxes” help spook the mountain lionses, already apparently a problem.
True. I guess I won’t worry about it.
It’s somewhat noteworthy that I’ve never seen a mountain lion the entire time I’ve lived here. Plenty of bears. And, of course, I’ve heard of the lions stealing puppies and cats, but I’ve never actually seen one.
Maybe the lionses will eat the fox and we can all get back to normal.
We had a cougar in our yard the week before Christmas. My landlady was sweeping out the back room, out on the back steps just a-sweepin’ away, then she said OH SHIT! because the cat was like 10 feet from her.
We also had a very large deer, possibly an elk(!) in our yard for new years.
If it was an elk, that would be a major turning point for life in the springs, mostly they congregate at the Florissant fossil park thingie up by Divide.
And yes thingie is actually an esoteric scientific word but probably too complex and evolved to be seen anywhere near a mere dictionary.
We had a bear last November, 05 I mean. We live pretty near Eric’s other other shop Bookman up on Colorado. Or however the ownership thereof actually works out. That creek that runs behind the store is like a deer superhighway.
Things are definitely getting weirder as time goes on.