We’ve just returned from three months in Arizona. The last 10 days there, we ‘boondocked out’ in the desert. In Wyoming we always boondock, and we wanted the benefit of being out and away from everyone so that we could see the night sky and hear the silence of the desert. And it was wonderful.
The moon was at about half full when we arrived, so the first night we sat out watching the stars and enjoying seeing our moon-shadows. I woke up about 3 am on the second night, and since the moon had set by then, I decided to go out and get a bit of star-gazing in.
Dressed in robe and slippers and armed with a flashlight, I left the trailer to the sounds of Karl sleeping soundly. I checked the ground for scorpions and rattlers, pulled my chaise lounge out about ten feet from the trailer, turned off the light, and settled in to stare upwards. Majestic. Beautiful. Silent stars speak loudly of the power and creativity of our Creator God.
I lay there for quite a while, praying without words. Once, I heard a little flutter by the trailer and absently thought that a moth, or maybe a bat had flown by. A few minutes later I heard another little noise and fleetingly thought maybe it was the slight breeze had moved the American Flag we had flying.
I was floating in the velvety night above me when something disturbed the gravel RIGHT beside me. I sat up quickly, not exactly alarmed and not really scared, just unsure what made the noise. I flicked on the flashlight and met a new friend. He was certainly as surprised as I to meet and stood still, checking me out as I returned the favor. A desert fox, not much bigger than my housecat (who was sleeping beside Karl safe and sound in the trailer), stood no more than ten feet away. We stared at each other for several seconds before he turned slowly and melted into the dark desert. What a gift.
The next few nights, before he went to bed, Karl set up our game camera. We didn’t get a good shot of the little fella until the fourth night. And, I share it here with you!
