Thanks so much for sharing that moment with us, Janelle! It is so lovely to be able to appreciate these small creatures who share this world with us. It so much brings to mind this poem that I used many years ago as part of the inspiration for an exhibition I participated in. So much richness if we stop and wonder.
WHITE OWL FLIES INTO AND OUT OF THE FIELD," BY MARY OLIVER
Coming down
out of the freezing sky
with its depths of light,
like an angel,
or a buddha with wings,
it was beautiful
and accurate,
striking the snow and whatever was there
with a force that left the imprint
of the tips of its wings —
five feet apart — and the grabbing
thrust of its feet,
and the indentation of what had been running
through the white valleys
of the snow —
and then it rose, gracefully,
and flew back to the frozen marshes,
to lurk there,
like a little lighthouse,
in the blue shadows —
so I thought:
maybe death
isn't darkness, after all,
but so much light
wrapping itself around us —
as soft as feathers —
that we are instantly weary
of looking, and looking, and shut our eyes,
not without amazement,
and let ourselves be carried,
as through the translucence of mica,
to the river
that is without the least dapple or shadow —
that is nothing but light — scalding, aortal light —
I have ‘my owl’ that I never see but I hear, which is so deliciously thrilling, each night just before I pop the ear buds in for a sleep meditation. Ours is a tawny, in fact it must be two because we hear the twit and the twooo. The twooo (male) is closer in sound and they’re in the woods at the bottom of our lane I think. I love living in the countryside and cannot ever see me back in a city. Thanks for sharing! I now need names for my owl/s too :)
Aw I love this, Sarah! I'm keeping my eyes peeled for other owl species. One day! But even just hearing them is a privilege isn't it? It does sound like you have two there. I was literally *just* listening to a Melissa Harrison audio book yesterday and she said that the 'twit twoo' sound we learn will have always been two owls. The 'wooo' is the response apparently.
Only discovering your post now - we have been so fortunate to have barn owls nest under our rafters for nearly 15 years, with regular sightings, feathers and pellets found on the house corner underneath their nest area. They have moved on now, we think because they burrowed too much into the roof insulation and ended up having some youngsters stuck in there 🙁, so it was no longer a safe place for them to nest. It was a wonderful experience to share our house with them!
I do miss them! We were so fortunate to have them. We'd see the juveniles hang out on the window sill under their nest area, and once I walked into our library to see an adult barn owl peering at me through the glass door of our wood stove (it was late spring & no fires had been lot for many months already) - he must have fallen down the chimney that was near their nest area. We opened the glass door & the window, then left the room so he could calmly escape on his own. That may have been what decided them to nest elsewhere...
Aw this is so lovely. He looks beautiful. 🦉We hear the owl most nights but he's over in the woods somewhere. What a treat to see one so close up. 🌻Your comparison of your old view with your new made me smile too... 🤣
He is! Such a thrill to spot him. That's wonderful that you're close to owls too. Haha! I still pinch myself at our view. I didn't used to mind our old one at the time! But now...😍
It's definitely never to late to build a relationship with nature. All the What We Do In The Shadows memes are suddenly taking on a different slant after this post too 🦉😂 What does your cat make of it all?
Thanks so much for sharing that moment with us, Janelle! It is so lovely to be able to appreciate these small creatures who share this world with us. It so much brings to mind this poem that I used many years ago as part of the inspiration for an exhibition I participated in. So much richness if we stop and wonder.
WHITE OWL FLIES INTO AND OUT OF THE FIELD," BY MARY OLIVER
Coming down
out of the freezing sky
with its depths of light,
like an angel,
or a buddha with wings,
it was beautiful
and accurate,
striking the snow and whatever was there
with a force that left the imprint
of the tips of its wings —
five feet apart — and the grabbing
thrust of its feet,
and the indentation of what had been running
through the white valleys
of the snow —
and then it rose, gracefully,
and flew back to the frozen marshes,
to lurk there,
like a little lighthouse,
in the blue shadows —
so I thought:
maybe death
isn't darkness, after all,
but so much light
wrapping itself around us —
as soft as feathers —
that we are instantly weary
of looking, and looking, and shut our eyes,
not without amazement,
and let ourselves be carried,
as through the translucence of mica,
to the river
that is without the least dapple or shadow —
that is nothing but light — scalding, aortal light —
in which we are washed and washed
out of our bones.
I have ‘my owl’ that I never see but I hear, which is so deliciously thrilling, each night just before I pop the ear buds in for a sleep meditation. Ours is a tawny, in fact it must be two because we hear the twit and the twooo. The twooo (male) is closer in sound and they’re in the woods at the bottom of our lane I think. I love living in the countryside and cannot ever see me back in a city. Thanks for sharing! I now need names for my owl/s too :)
Aw I love this, Sarah! I'm keeping my eyes peeled for other owl species. One day! But even just hearing them is a privilege isn't it? It does sound like you have two there. I was literally *just* listening to a Melissa Harrison audio book yesterday and she said that the 'twit twoo' sound we learn will have always been two owls. The 'wooo' is the response apparently.
Only discovering your post now - we have been so fortunate to have barn owls nest under our rafters for nearly 15 years, with regular sightings, feathers and pellets found on the house corner underneath their nest area. They have moved on now, we think because they burrowed too much into the roof insulation and ended up having some youngsters stuck in there 🙁, so it was no longer a safe place for them to nest. It was a wonderful experience to share our house with them!
Oh Lorraine! How amazing.
What a privilege to witness.
Although I bet you miss them now they've moved on. You gave them such a lovely home for all those years.
I do miss them! We were so fortunate to have them. We'd see the juveniles hang out on the window sill under their nest area, and once I walked into our library to see an adult barn owl peering at me through the glass door of our wood stove (it was late spring & no fires had been lot for many months already) - he must have fallen down the chimney that was near their nest area. We opened the glass door & the window, then left the room so he could calmly escape on his own. That may have been what decided them to nest elsewhere...
These are moments that the majority will never experience first-hand. Pretty incredible. Good on you for taking care of that little lost owl.
Agree about the momentous unique expériences! I'm grateful everyday. I live in an enchanted place. 🙂❤️🙏
How bloody exciting! What a wonderful experience and how lucky you are to see it from home. 🦉
I knooooow 🥲
What an amazing encounter.
I have binoculars at the ready in the kitchen too, mainly for spying goldfinches and smaller birds. It's such a privilege to see an owl though.
It really is. I'm so lucky. Love that you also have your binoculars to hand, Lou. It's all very new for me but I'm getting so much joy from twitching!
This was such a lovely piece of writing and I am absolutely obsessed with him being named Guillermo.
Yay thank you, Jane!
Haha I know. Amazing isn't it. It just stuck.
Wow, lucky you!
I know 🥲
Aw this is so lovely. He looks beautiful. 🦉We hear the owl most nights but he's over in the woods somewhere. What a treat to see one so close up. 🌻Your comparison of your old view with your new made me smile too... 🤣
He is! Such a thrill to spot him. That's wonderful that you're close to owls too. Haha! I still pinch myself at our view. I didn't used to mind our old one at the time! But now...😍
It's definitely never to late to build a relationship with nature. All the What We Do In The Shadows memes are suddenly taking on a different slant after this post too 🦉😂 What does your cat make of it all?