Monday, April 23, 2012

What a Hoot!




I was just about to end my afternoon stroll with my near to the ground sniffing four legged friend. As we approached a small ravine several yards from home, we were awed by massive wings fluttering above our heads exiting one of the lush old oaks nearby. It was one of our neighborhood owls! 
I'm so intrigued by owls and was thrilled to see one in the middle of the day!  I’ve spotted one or two during the several years we’ve lived here…usually at dusk and I’ve still not been able to grab my camera in time to capture them in a photo. Same goes for today!



As he landed in another towering oak, perched on one of the open limbs, staring back at me, I grabbed my antiquated flip phone and clicked on the camera (which of course has no zoom and if you don’t hit the save button, everything disappears)… no luck. One of these days I just know I’ll capture a good one. Until then, I’ll have to remain content with the sound of their night-time serenade, listening to their cooing as I drift peacefully off to sleep.


When we first moved to this neck of the woods, we were introduced rather quickly to sights and sounds we had not experienced since childhood, if ever. Coming from the city, where the nightlife is a different type of wild, we found this to be refreshing…until we heard the howling of coyotes in a marsh behind our neighbor’s lot. That was a sound that I had never heard before. I much prefer the peaceful sounds of nature.





A few months after we moved here was first time we heard our resident owl. I was excited to announce it to my husband who immediately replied, “how do you know it’s an owl? It could be someone hiding in the bushes making the sound of an owl as a decoy!”   Really? I replied…Really! ;)   I like to remind my city boy of that comment now and then.

Of course, I’m not innocent either because I did call the cops on a deer once!  It was dusk and I glanced out the window to see someone standing on a hilly area near our window. I could only make out the silhouette and I swear I saw a head and broad shoulders of someone wearing tan or dark grey…not moving…head pointed in my direction.
























 



I panicked, closed all the blinds and called to report a peeping tom!





Fortunately, the police encouraged me to never resist calling, even for deer because “you just never know”!  Whew...glad they are close by!


They did locate the perp...the big guy was hiding with his accomplices behind the hedgerow...




Ah, the wild wild woods ~ A few adjustments here and there and a few years later, and I’m finally settled in…calm, cool and collected…keeping my eyes wide open and my camera nearby.




11 comments:

Unknown said...

I LOVE owls. We have barred owls in our neighborhood and they wake me up constantly. Then I can't get back to sleep because I'm so enthralled by their calls.

I'm glad your perp ended up being so adorable. :)

Teresa said...

Heehee! I love this post...so cute and adorable...the city folk adjusting to nature...LOL! Definitely a HOOT! You are so fun!!

Brenda Lazzaro Yoder, said...

Thanks for these lovely pictures and the visit words. It paints a picture that takes me right into the scene! What a gift!

Elisabeth said...

What a sweet post...loved reading about the woods, the owls, and the peeping deer!
My sister's property in Ohio, their backyard is like a national park,(huge) and they always have deers peeking around in their back yard!
Thanks for your sweet and comforting words on my blog, Lorraine dear!
I posted your blog on my bloglist, so I can see your latest posts faster:DDD

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Too funny on the deer. Oh love owls also, we just studied on them and Benjamin and his Dad went on a owl hunt one night. We have one that will set on the street sign, he is just beautiful.

Your pictures are just wonderful...what a peaceful place and the wildlife adds everything.

A multi-dimensional life said...

just testing to see if it will publish...thank you Deborah/purehoneybee, for telling me that your comment wouldn't publish...

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Oh, I love the sound of owls...but I don't think I've ever spotted one either. We, too, have had deer in the yard...and even the occasional fox. Thanks for sharing the beauty which surrounds you with us all. xoxo

mangiabella said...

I, too, love owls...there was an owl nest by my parents house buried in the side of the road close to the ground...I had never seen that before. There were two that would always sit right in the hole for everyone to see as we passed by. All last year that was one of my favorite stops along the way....I haven't seen them this year, maybe they moved on?? All these photos are breathtaking.....they soothe me....the moss covered spring of water rushing over....the beautiful deer....the whole earth REALLY IS filled with HIS GLORY!!!!!

Deborah Ann said...

I LOVE owls! God really outdid Himself. Last summer we were camping one night, and we heard an owl in a nearby tree. I ran into the woods to get a better view, but the owl kept flying further away. Eventually I realized I was lost - in a black forest - in the middle of the night. Stupid owl. (Nah!)

A multi-dimensional life said...

Deborah Ann...LOL...stupid owl ;)Oh, you know you always crack me up!

Anonymous said...

I like your nature shots, and the deer are esp. cool.

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