Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Our Covid Owls

  Beginning in early March when life as we knew it was suddenly being constricted to the walls of our home and yard, when a mysterious illness, terrifying and deadly, caught us all unawares, a pair of barred owls came to us.  Every single night at the same time they began to call from the 50-foot pines in our backyard, soft short barks crescendoing into the melody every barred owl knows: 


Who cooks for you, Who cooks for you-alllllll.  



Every night at 9:20 pm we met at our bedroom window to wait in holy delight for their presence directly over our heads.  All of March, all of April, they reassured, gave hope, as more and more of our plans shattered and our human world shut down.  

  In May as the owls moved to nest building and egg hatching, the concerts moved farther and farther away — softer, softer, as we, too, settled into a routine: life in the time of Covid.  
  
  In gratitude, every day I stitched on a memory of the owls, of the comfort their faithful presence brought us in those uncertain days.  





17 comments:

  1. You wrote a nice post about our worlwide limits we suddenly had to cope with. It is bizar how our world has changed so completly. And that it is worldwide the same. No differences between countries in the world. We all do the same things when you read the blogs, there are no differences between one in Europe or America or Asia. You get used to the slowdown but it feels not good. We are made to explore new impulses, exhibitions, travels, it has all come to a standstill for how long? Love your owl stiches, well done! Hope for the best in the future.....
    Love, Marianne

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  2. I can think of no better company during the restrictions dictated by Covid-19 than this pair of Barred Owls. What an incredible privilege. I am quite jealous! And the fact that you memorialized it with your handicraft makes it even more special, Cynthia.

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  3. I love the piece you created - a memory of self quarantining yet also a memory of the owls visit through these times.

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  4. What an awesome piece. You’ll have a great story to tell with it.

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  5. I enjoyed reading about your Covid owls and how they spent some time during strange times near you and your husband. I bet they will return to being nearer your place by the end of this year or beginning of next. I find that the rabbits, squirrels, birds, owls bring comfort as I quietly watch them living their lives near my house. The only ones that I wish would stay far, far away are the skunks.

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  6. Great to have owl activity that close and that you know about owls and can appreciate them.

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  7. I jinxed myself by talking about the skunks. They haven't been around lately, but just now, oh my goodness, one just did its stink thing just now somewhere near my home. At first the stench sneaks up on me because somehow the first slight scent of it smells like coffee to me, but boy oh boy this is a special brew of stink, not coffee for sure. I think the skunks come into the neighborhood looking for food and are annoyed by either dogs or cats.
    Oh we will smell it for hours now.

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  8. Wonderful post. Not sure why, but I'm intrigued by owls. I occasionally hear them, but never had a chance to see them up close.

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  9. So cool! I am still enjoying my owl card from you! My brother has one Barred Owl and a baby owl at his house high in the Norway Pines. Today he said the baby was laying down on a branch like a fluffy pillow...then all of a sudden it sat up and looked around...sleeping and growing I guess. Stay safe!

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  10. That is amazing and I love the stitching project as a great reminder.

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  11. That is a lovely story of the owls and your wall hanging is a beautiful reminder of the times you have lived through.

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  12. How wonderful those owls visited you, and then you have stitched owls into your work, just wonderful. Never seen a live owl, they fascinate me.
    Take care.

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  13. What a great story - and an amazing piece of Art!!

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  14. This is such a beautiful post. I love it, and love the wall hanging too. There is just something special about owls. I love them even though owls are a guineas worst enemy.

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  15. Love your collage of the owls. Are they still there? Hope you are not having too many pluff mud moments.

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  16. I love your wall hanging, Cynthia. That is so creative. I hope the owls return.

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  17. We love owls. They are beautiful birds. I see one in the tree at night looking down at the creek and I believe this is why I am not having trouble with ground hogs and mice. Graceful the way they take flight. I love hearing them. You are so fortunate to have them. I love your wall hanging.

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