NATURES' CHILDREN: Owl Talk

It was late winter and already dark outside. My son and his family had come for dinner. After we ate, we sat in the family room chatting while my grandchild played happily on the family room floor. At almost two, Ivy's favorite toy was a stuffed piliated woodpecker. You may remember those stuffed animals. Sold by Audubon, there was a series of them made to look and sound like different species of bird. When squeezed they gave the appropriate bird call. Children took great joy in squeezing them....repeatedly. Ivy was no exception, squeezing the toy and cackling with glee each time the woodpecker called. "E-e-e-e-e!" it said. "E-e-e-e-e!" "E-e-e-e-e!"

In the midst of all the woodpecker noise, I suddenly became aware of another sound, the unmistakable call of the great-horned owl. And it was close! I jumped up, grabbed Ivy and left my puzzled family sitting there as I rushed to the front door. Just as I stepped out onto the porch with Ivy in my arms, the owl called again. It was right next door, perched in a pine tree near our driveway. Now if you've heard an owl call in the dark of night, you know how eerie it sounds. A bit frightened, Ivy looked up at me for reassurance. I said, "Oh, Ivy, it's an owl...like in your Owl Moon book." I felt the little body relax in my arms. Just then the owl called once more. Ivy's head turned in the direction of the sound..... and the tiny child called back! That little voice echoed through the night, and for a few magical moments, Ivy and the owl carried on a conversation. First the owl, then Ivy. When the owl called again, Ivy answered. "Hoo-hoo, Hoooo-hoo-hoo"...I can still conjure up the sound. And I still have the picture in my mind, a rosy cheeked baby, face lifted, eyes shining in the moonlight, talking to an unseen owl.

A short blog this time. There's no more to say. No deep thoughts or lessons learned. I just wanted to share a sweet memory.