tough love 101

Tonight was the first official night of NO FEED'UM FOXES ... amongst the "parents" here at our end of the street. The CDS Wildlife Committee discussed it at length yesterday and it was deemed that the 5 we are still seeing , are old enough to spend MORE time hunting and less time jumping all over themselves entertaining us (the 6th hasn't been seen in nearly 2 wks). IF they are hungry in the morning, they will pop out of their habitat when they hear us talking ... but for tonight.... well, we just have to exercise some tough love and leave them to their own devices (instincts). At their normal playtime, I glanced out this evening & 3 of them were jumping around like little monkeys. They were chasing each other back & forth across the street. Next thing you know # 4 popped out and before I could complete the question in my head "I wonder if Dick & Lisa" - the phone rang and IT WAS Dick, making sure I was watching "the kids". I was standing at my front window and I could see him across the street on his lanai. While we were on the phone the little minxs were acting like cockroaches do when you turn a light on ... skittering about. The next thing I knew, all 5 were on the platform right in front of the window, just nosing around. When they noticed me standing there, they came right up to the window, as if they were placing an order for a burger & fries. Monkey was on the widow sill, watching intently, when one came to the screen & they sniffed nose to nose. After that, I closed the window all but a sliver, concerned that she might want out, or they might want in. It was quite a show. Then, up over the fence by my side window they came, one by one & 2 of them even hopped on the bench beneath it, & stood up as if to look inside. (maybe they thought it was the drive thru window?) Poki was perched on this sill. He didn't move, & they weren't intimidated! Just now, I glanced out to see 2 of them trotting down the front porch steps of Dick's house! THEY KNOW which side of their bread he used to butter (?) SO WITH the morning light tomorrow, we will see if they found an all-night Denneys. (or if I have any apples left on the tree) Good night Manny, Mo, Jack, Isabel, & Daisy. happy hunting!!