Calling Owls

This will be short...today was a day of good-byes, to Morfar and Gramma Liz, after three wonderful, packed days of remembering and connecting, and to Dan, who is off for three days of rehearsing in Iowa. Never easy, we eased the pain with...Trader Joe's. Mmmhmm, the combination of tiny shopping carts (for them) and cheap wine by the case (for me) met some of the needs we had to feel cared for and special today. Then we decided to forgo our usual cram-in-the-shopping-oh-my-gosh-we're-in-a-CITY mode of the airport drop-off (we'll hit Target and Hobby Lobby on Monday during the pick-up, when I have my list firmed up. I'm a terribly shopper without a list.), in hopes of feeling energized enough to join an Owl Walk tonight at the Waterloo Center. I love that we were all on the same page about this - this is my idea of the perfect Friday night "out " - bonfire, hot chocolate and walking in the dark, calling for owls, with people who know way more than I do about all things natural. It would not be a trip out with my little people if there weren't some crisis to derail things a bit (SNOW! in her BOOT! now it's WET!), but even with that, it was lovely. Darkness, friends, and we called in a screech owl, which I had never heard before - it sounded sort of like a small ghostly whinny from a phantom miniature horse to me. Magical. Ani and I ducked out early (the SNOW!), but Eliza continued on for another half an hour with our friends, while we headed back to start in on the hot chocolate. We then ended up driving our friends home, to the middle of the dark dark woods on their sketchy country road, because their old car finally died. It is always a good challenge for me to do something I'd rather not, and heck, doesn't it always feel so good to realize you can drive in the scary woods on icy roads and survive?!

My girls fell asleep in the car on the way home while I sang Simon and Garfunkel and Nancy Griffith songs, and that is always a sweet blessing.

*Owl calling advice: speaking from experience, our guide tonight advised that we not call in the screech owls and then switch to calling in the great horneds...the screeches will be attacked. She said the first time she took a group out years ago she did just that and folks weren't quite ready for the in-your-face reality show that ensued. Good advice!!