I don’t always wear my glasses when I walk in the woods. Sometimes I like the feel the world around me rather than see it clearly with my eyes.
But today I was thinking of the Barred Owl.
At one point in my walk, the tree-tops shook just behind me causing a quick shower from the wet leaves. This happened several times and since there was no wind, I guessed it was a bird or squirrel shaking the tree.
That reminded me to look up.
The only way I can spot the Barred Owl is when she’s flying. (I don’t know if the owl is a female or male, so I’ll call her she). I can’t hear her because her wings make no sound and she makes no noise I can hear when she lands. If she’s not moving it’s really hard to see her camouflaged against the trees.
It was about ten minutes later that I watched her swooping between the branches. Just a big grayish-brown blur. But I’ve seen it enough times to know it’s her. I couldn’t tell where she landed so I walked off the path looking up the whole time in case she flew again. Fate and Zinnia followed staying close.
When I did see her she sat calmly in the tree looking at me like she has before. She followed the dogs a bit as they sniffed around the tree, her head turning so far to the left I could almost see her face again from where I stood.
This time I left before she flew again.
I did speak to her, just saying “hello owl”, thinking she might get used to my voice. I don’t know if that’s silly, but I didn’t see any reaction from her so I guess it doesn’t matter if it is.
I’m not sure what to make of seeing the barred owl so often. Right now I’m just awed and enchanted by the experience. I do wonder if she’s there more often than I know. If I want to know for sure, I’ll have to pay more attention and try to be more aware of the treetops. I do get distracted by what’s happening on the forest floor as well as in the trees.
Makes me think about the idea of seeing wide that I learned on my walk-about. The idea of seeing more than what’s right in front of me.
Maybe I need to practice that more.
Perhaps there will be an owl quilt like the heroin in your future!
yeah, Barbara, I can see that happening.
I thinks it’s perfectly normal to talk to the animals. I do it all the time. I talk to my dog a lot! I must tell you that I have been trying to see things differently. You have inspired me to stop and just look. Yesterday, as I’m walking out the side door, a spider was moving down the web and I called my adult son over to see it. My son asked if he should kill it and I practically screamed “no.” We watched until he webbed over to the side of the door frame. It was only a minute, but it is still in my mind.
I love that Deb! You should see the smile on my face. And I Love that your son stayed to watch the spider with you. It’s good for everyone. 🙂
One thing you might want to do is ask yourself where your thought are at that moment you first see Owl or something that’s been going round in your mind. That might be a clue or clues to a message from owl. Taking those clues you can think about what owl means to you, plus look up the meaning too to see what may resonate and then link it together. I personally see Owl as my wise inner self. Sometimes it takes time also for a message to unfold or pieces/links are added at different times to expand upon it.
Thats a good thing to think about Barb. I can’t remember now what was going on at the time in my head. but usually when I look of the meaning of an animal it comes to me. I like this thing me and the owl have going on. Perhaps a part of me thinks if I get the message there will be no longer any reason to see the owl.