*Wildlife

Fox
Nature Photography by Fi Rust

Wildlife
Day 9 — February 18

Elizabeth was not particularly outdoorsy. She used to say that camping for her was going to a three-star hotel rather than a four.

But she took special delight in seeing wildlife—whether it be the bugling elk in Rocky Mountain National Park, ducks swimming in a pond, or mountain goats grazing along the interstate highway near Georgetown. She always felt cheated if wildlife was absent.

Years ago, a den of urban foxes had taken up residence in a vacant stretch of prairie grass along a nearby street. We were both delighted by a chance encounter with the fox family.

Many years prior, Elizabeth and I were chatting with one of Annika’s childhood friends about the foxes we had seen in the neighborhood. The young girl very confidently stated, “You know, foxes are in the cat family!”

After that, whenever we saw a fox or talked about foxes, I would repeat confidently: “You know, foxes are in the cat family!”

And Elizabeth would laugh and laugh every time. 

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Day 9: the art of love and loss
view all posts at kentmueller.com

February 10, 2020, was the day my wife, Elizabeth Izant, entered the hospital. She and I were on a hopeful journey following her heart transplant five months prior. On March 1, she entered hospice and died March 11. This series is not about her medical journey. This is about sharing stories and reflections about our life together. In our 29 years of marriage, we collected a piece of art or two each year, often in celebration of our marriage anniversary. Each day from February 10 to March 11, I will be sharing an image of that art. And a story.