Give a Hoot

As apart of my News Years Resolution I figured on Birding as a new hobby.  So anyway, I have been spotting birds  even in the cold.  Some vultures, some hawks, a peregrine falcon which is really a sight.  A bald eagle was flying over our lake.  Of course they were draining the lake and there were a million birds feeding on the fish that were caught in shallow pools.

But this morning, I got up  at my normal 5:30 AM, or as I like to call it half past dark, went down stairs and turned on the TV.   Searching for satelite signal came on the screen. So immediately I knew that the winds of change coming through early this morning had knocked the dish out of whack.  Happens all the time, for those who want to know about satelite---let me tell you it is out at least once a month for at least a day.  Heavy weather puts it out.  So you better be good with the ladder or the phone cause you are gonna need one or the other.

So I get my flashlight and go outside to get the ladder from the backyard alongside the back fence, with the dog under foot and shoe laces untied, in the 65 degree January morning with the rain lashing me and the wind howling. 65 degrees January, New Jersey no wonder the winds were screaming, they were screaming that the world was coming to an end with all this weird weather.

But,   All the while I am  thinking to myself, dude you are one whack job 62 year old who is going to die when you fall off this ladder, just because you want to watch the Today show. 

So I head to the back, tripping on laces and dog, when I look up and in the tree about 10 feet away I see a dark form, I shine my light and it is a very small owl.  The owl turns his head, looked right at me. I stopped what I was doing and just looked, this is one beautiful bird, the colors so vivid, the eyes captivating.  Finally after minutes he flew off leaving behind a man totally enraptured by the thrill of the encounter.  I know I will be looking for him again for months.  But his signal to me was to wise up.

So I stop, tie my laces, shoo the dog from under my feet, and thought about what I was doing and instead of rushing to throw the ladder against the side of the house, decided to handle the job after work when I have time and less ominous weather.

Thanks owl, and by the way, it was really really cool to meet you this morning.  I don't often come across owls and you were the first of your kind, an Eastern Screach Owl  that I have ever seen.  Your colors and your eyes really made me happy on this last day of January.

It is always the  small pleasures of life that are the greatest.