“When cats run home and light is come,
And dew is cold upon the ground,
And the far-off stream is dumb,
And the whirring sail goes round,
And the whirring sail goes round;
Alone and warming his five wits,
The white owl in the belfry sits.”
Alfred Tennyson

The California Great Horned Owl

Late every evening, for the past two months I hear the sound of an owl hooting. To hear the owl clearly, you must be outside the front door. The calls from the owl are coming from the roof and echo and bounce off the outside walls of our nine story building.

Like a well tuned clock, the owls hooting begins at ten o’clock each night. Unfortunately, because I have night blindness and have no access to the roof, I have not actually seen this owl.

Being the owl fan I am, everyone I know has heard about this owl. They all look at me like I’m nuts and tell me “that’s nice.” My husband just thinks I have bats in my belfry. (That’s another post at another time.)

Last night when my owl buddy began to hoot, I turned to my husband and asked.

“Can you hear it? Can you hear it?”

“I don’t hear anything.” Said my husband.

I grabbed my husband by the hand, led him off the sofa, away from his car show to the front door and opened the door. We stood at the door for a few seconds, and then the owl gave his distinguished hoot. We both listened as the owl hooted several times.

I was excited as a school girl that my husband had finally witnessed the hoots from my visiting friend. Excited that we had shared the sounds from one of natures most majestic creatures. On the other hand, my husband didn’t share my excitement and just replied “that’s nice”, and returned to the sofa and his car show.

To me its the little things in life that make me happy and give me hope. I love nature and all its wonder. Why has this owl chose our building? Is it because it is the tallest spot facing the ocean? Is it because his hooting echo’s and carries farther for other owls to hear and find him?

I’d like to believe the arrival of this owl and his hooting every night is a sign. A sign of hope. A sign of all the good to come. A sign of wisdom and what knowledge can bring.

But, that is the never-ending romantic in me. For whatever the reason this owl arrived at our building, I’m enjoying all the hooting in the house.

Shine On