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In The Comfort of Crows, Margaret Renkl shares a new year’s tradition in which she treats the first bird she sees each year as an augur of things to come. I’d loved the premise the moment I read about it: birds as texts. Birds as signs. The natural world in general as a mirror, or model, for navigating life — which is to say for navigating change — with grace. I made a mental note to participate in the tradition at the dawn of 2025, but in the post-holiday, mid-head-cold haze, I forgot about it until I woke up in the middle of the night on January third to the sound of a vixen screech outside my window. Foxes. We have a family of them that I believe live in the dense thicket of trees and brush at the perimeter of our property, though we have neighbors who think they live elsewhere; they certainly make their way around. Or maybe there are multiple families of them that we confuse for one another. All I know is that we regularly see one trot straight up our driveway in his magnificent coat on his delicate feet from somewhere in our backyard in the early morning, and make a left hand turn into our neighbors’ yard, which has a hot tub, and so we joke that the fox is taking his morning dip. We see that fox (or maybe a member of that fox family) frequently enough that we’ve named him “Frederick,” and one of the Glamsquad hair stylists who often does my hair calls my house “the fox house,” because she’s crossed paths with Frederick (or his doppelganger) twice while visiting.
So maybe the fox is my avatar for the year. And what can I learn from them? The first observation that suggested itself: these foxes didn’t always live here; we’ve only noticed them regularly for the past year. My suspicion is that they found the food supply here plentiful and settled in for the long haul. In the spring, our neighborhood is absolutely overrun by cottontail rabbits, which I’ve learned are the preferred repast of the American red fox. So they are an opportunistic species, moving where they’ll be best-nurtured, or where their likelihood of success is high. And they are also resilient: they will adopt an omnivorous diet when they need to. Just this morning, two days after the midnight vixen call, my daughter called us from the front living room: “Frederick is outside, and there’s another fox with him!” We watched from our window. The littler one (bigger than a kit, but small? a female? the female that was screaming outside my window?) was chewing on the branch of the plantings that attract unbelievable numbers of pollinators in the warm months in the front of our yard. Maybe she was hungry, and the plant was breakfast.
I watched the fox and thought: this year, how might I put myself in places that are likely to nurture me? How might I let go of unnecessary patterns in order to prioritize my own well-being, my own likelihood of success?
What is the first bird or animal you crossed paths with this year? How can you read it as a symbol of, or herald for, 2025?
*Above photo is terrible — you can see my reflection in it! — and was taken in warmer months, but still. Frederick in action in our front yard!
Post Scripts.
+What we can learn from winter.
+Another time of “wintering,” or drawing inward: the early post partum days.
+The pinches of motherhood.
Shopping Break.
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+A great everyday cardigan for $128. Lots of colors available but of course I love the black and white stripe!
+I just recently learned that Rent the Runway has a fairly extensive resale section. You do not need to be a member / have a subscription to purchase from the resale section, and you can find insane deals on styles from seasons past, like this adorable BA&SH cardigan I just bought ($85, plus use code LOVE2HAVE for 15% off) or this Veronica Beard wool toggle jacket for $80. Note that these are pre-worn pieces, sort of like on The Real Real, but potentially with even fewer wears. I also think this might be a good spot to ferret out statement dresses you might only wear a handful of times. Love this Alemais dress for a winter getaway, and feels more reasonable at $225! They even have handbags from APC!
+Love this reversible sherpa vest from Sezane!
+I’ve been wearing this lip tint oil a lot the past week — I have it in the hope color and it is SO pretty. Hillary Kerr described it perfectly this week (and I agree with her enthusiastic review): “It’s not as intensely pigmented as the liquid blush, but it’s really buildable and the texture never feels sticky. It kind of melts into your lips, but the hydration part really lingers, in a stain-like way, but without the drying that normally comes with a stain.”
+Just noticed this sleek portable speaker is on sale. We have a different brand of portable speaker (WonderBoom) and use it ALL THE TIME but dare I say the Bose is slightly more aesthetically pleasing? (And given my obsession with Bose’s ultra open earbuds, I am inclined to trust the quality!) Just toss in your bag for the beach, for a picnic, when traveling (we always bring when we’ll be staying in an AirBnB!), when gardening, when dining al fresco, etc. They also have a micro size on sale that would be good for camping, hiking, times when you need to pack light.
+Speaking of camping/hiking, did I tell you that Mr. Magpie and I — completely without arrangement — individually bought one another two Helinox chairs for Christmas?! Now we have a complete set of four, one for each family member, so it turned out great. He bought two of the zeros (ultra lightweight) and I bought two of the ones (a little heavier but more comfortable and sturdy, based on reviews). We now keep them in the trunk of our car! I actually have a specific vision for these chairs. I’ve long wanted to hike the trail between Aspen and Crested Butte and the zeros are definitely lightweight enough to pack for the trek! Hoping to accomplish this in 2026.
+Speaking of trunks (ha), can I remind you that this Thule organizer is THE BEST THING? We still talk about how much we love it routinely, and we have had it for a full year! There are of course lots of cheaper organizers on the market but this one collapses flat and is somehow the perfect dimensions for literally whatever you need. It somehow holds everything snugly and securely. Specifically, great for groceries.
+I had always wanted to try these Tula eye balms and just got my hands on a stick of the power swipe. I have to say the applicator is very compelling. It’s not like it’s a huge lift to dab on eye cream but something about being able to apply it directly to your undereye with a quick swipe feels very easy. I also picked up this 24-7 moisture intense cream. You would not believe how many layers of moisturizer I have been applying daily, and I still feel like my skin drinks it up thirstily.
+Just a reminder that the Newa is still 20% off, and Emese Gormley has raved about it.
+Moon Boot-inspired snow boots for littles, under $50 — final few!