January 16, 2009

My Owl Story

Brace yourselves...it is not nearly as exciting as you may have hoped. Honestly, my true love for Owls only began about 8 or so years ago. I was always intrigued by the Owl, liked to look at pictures of owls and found something amazing in the eyes of the owl. For me it is as if they can see right into you. Believe it or not their eyes are not their main sense as ours are. Owls depend largely on their hearing and their sense of sound would knock your socks off.

Owl was my favorite character in Winnie the Pooh (and SHAME on Disney for removing him). Some might say the below description of this owl matches me to a T. Though a philosopher I am not, I do hate to be contradicted and I certainly can talk, and talk, and well, talk.

But my true admiration for the Owl started around the year 2000. When we moved into our new home shortly before Lauren was born. I would lie awake unable to sleep and listen to two owls that Hoo Hooed the night away on the power lines that used to be in the open space behind our home. Those owls talked all night long, my sleepless neighbor Mark and I listened to those owls many a night and compared notes via his wife Paige,often! They had the coolest hooos - 3 at a time most of the time and they talked and talked and talked.

There are also owls that live in the big pine trees by my parents home in Beaver Creek, I have not been blessed to hear them often but when I do it is a real treat. The sound echos a bit off the mountain side and gently reminds the amazing creatures are near by.

A couple years later we took Lauren to Arizona for a vacation. Lauren and I had to go ahead of daddy because something had come up at his company. We were their 4 days before daddy came. Our hotel room opened up to huge courtyard and we were on the top floor (not a tall hotel). In the wee hours of the first morning there I was awakened by the sounds of Owls. Not one, not two but many many owls. I rose to look out my window but it was too dark to see anything other than their eyes glowing in the dark. There were so many owls. It was amazing. I commented to the Hotel and they let me know that the owls come to those nesting places nearly every night. I was in AWE. I woke early each day just to listen and watch and try to catch a better glimpse of these intriguing creatures. Tried and tried I did, I could not get a photograph of these little guys - the best I got was this picture where if you look REALLY close you can see two glowing eyes, and you will have to take my word they are those of an owl.


That year my mom bought me my first owl at Christmas. A beautiful figurine that brought tears to my eyes. I have received four more and an amazing ornament from her in the following years. One sits on top of my mirror in my bedroom watching over me as I sleep, a crystal one sits atop my jewelry box and the others are near my computers so I can see them when I work.

A few years ago the County took down the power lines (as they had been burried years before) and the farm house nearby was torn down to make room for a school parking lot (cue Jonie Mitchel )and while the Owls stuck around for a short time I have not heard them in several years. When I am awake at night there are no more sounds to keep me company (unless Hailey is up) but I will always remember the two that kept me company when Lauren was a baby.

My wish is not to die leaving my children with so many owls that they throw them all in a box and give it to good will (all the while bickering about how crazy I was)...but I do wish to continue to continue to have some owls around me that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Owls make me smile, they bring peaceful thoughts to my head and fill heart with hope and joy. The owl will forever amaze and intrigue me with each thing I learn and see.

Well, there you have it. The owl story. That which it may be. Thanks for listening reading.

PS - If the owl in my last post was a little too rich for your blood (as it is mine) here are a couple more of my favorites that I have had my eyes on for a while first is the Emerson Owl, yes that is really was Jay Strongwater named that owl. I think he had me in mind that day!! Another must see is this awesome little Owl Clock.

14 comments:

Cheryl Lage said...

If your kids read these words someday, there is no way they'll "throw all the owls in a box for Goodwill!"

Thanks for elaborating on your fascination...completely understand why you're intrigued by them so!

Have a great weekend!

Allison said...

Great story...I will have to say that the owl's hoo hoo is a lot more calming than the high pitched screech of some birds or the early morning tweeting of small birds! Thanks for sharing.

whoopsadasie said...

What a great story! Now I wish I did have the money to send you for your "bling"!!

Kim H. said...

Terra,

Thank you for your wonderful story - I don't think I've ever even heard a real owl "hoo" - nor have I ever seen one up close, other that at a zoo, maybe.

How fortunate you have been. I am completely intrigued by owls. They're such a beautiful creature.

I think that picture is completely AWESOME!

Way to rock it out - and you know whenever I see something "owl" I'm totally going to have to think about buying it for you. :)

Didn't Vera Bradley just come out with a pattern that has owls on it? Just wonderin'...

Bonnie said...

I'm so glad you finally told the story. I've been waiting to hear it. I love it. I've always wondered why certain people are fasinated by certain animals.. like Alex loves penguins, For Connor it's Moose. I think there must be something deeper to it... I have a whole new appreciation for owls now..thanks!

Bonnie said...

ps. I used to belong to a MOPS group (mothers of preschoolers) and they had a speaker one day talking about the Winnie the Pooh characters and explained how each of us usually fit one of the characters.. can't remember which one I was but it was fun.

Courtney said...

I love this story! Thank you so much for sharing. Meanwhile, the bling, bling owl is fabulous!

Krape Family said...

Great story. There are owls who live in the open space behind our house and they scare the living you know what out of my dogs. I actually saw one up close early in the morning about a year ago and was shocked at how HUGE it was and also that it was grey in color.

Jenni said...

Cool! I have never seen an owl that wasn't at a zoo!

Becky said...

It's wonderful how Nature spoke to you through the voice of such beautiful birds. How even more beautiful that you were still and listened and made your special connection. This is a delightful and spiritual story and I loved reading it.

Alicia said...

Beautiful story.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful story! I don't love owls as much as you, but I do think they are amazing. We were hiking in broad daylight in the woods with the kids 2 summers ago when we stumbled across an owl starting at us, he was so cute and I even have pictures here on my computer of him. He watched us forever, and it was the middle of the day. So amazing they are! I love the night picture that is awesome!!!! Thanks for sharing your story for love of owls!! ((HUGS))

*Lissa* said...

I LOVE your owl story!! Awesome!

Justin Matott said...

So cool! Dolphins are mine. I'm writing a book about animal muses now. Finding an owl family near home has been a major highlight of this Spring!