Two unusual sights: a spotted Eastern skunk and a gray fox. Despite years living at this location, we had never seen a skunk. When traveling, the skunk seems very small, but rearing up to scout about like a squirrel is a clear signal to back away. Foxes, on the other hand, have been glimpsed from afar, trotting away without lingering. This one crossed our path on a dusk walk, turning a moment without fear, then deliberately crossing the road just a few meters ahead. The gray fox is a slip of a dog, its color and diminutive shape like a shadow, especially in the approaching dark of twilight.
journal of reflections by the resident of the Hermitary