Yummy fires and animals with parenting skills

Okay, evidently it's still early here - snow flurries were in the air all day today. There's a end of season storm headed for Colorado the next couple of days. No big accumulation or anything for here (worse for Denver), just not warm spring weather. Actually the snow has melted off our driveway, but as you can see from the photos, the peaks still have a giant pile.
We've had the ambiance of a lovely fire going in the fireplace a couple of times since we've arrived with the chilly mornings. You may or may not remember my rant last winter on Colo state laws for new woodburning fireplaces. Giant fires behind closed glass doors do not make for good heat conduction contrary to the lovely instruction brochure. So we went on a hunt for a simple screen to protect the open area when we flung open those idiotic glass doors. Not to be found before we left for Florida. This time - success! Last one at the hardware store, but cheap and does the trick. Blessed heat pours out. Pretty - yes!
The local paper had an article about bears waking up for spring. I expect this will happen in the next couple of weeks. Imagine, they birth their babies while hibernating and the cubs nurse for two months with an asleep mommy and then she wakes up. Is this the easy way or what... Yes, I will have my spray ready - love to see a cub though...
Had to stop my post for a moment while the fox came back for more food hunting. I've read that the foxes have their babies (kits) in the den right now, and they stay in for two months. Sooo, I think this is a mom or dad on the hunt. Had to snap more photos - look at the head cocked - he/she is listening for rodent movement. Kept doing it over & over. Funny!