Hoo-hoo… come sit with me a moment. I’ve been doing what I do best lately… watching. What I’ve noticed, though, is something curious about all of you. Take the salmon. They wander far… farther than seems reasonable for a creature with such a small tail. Through wide oceans, past rushing waters, […]
There was a season in my life when I was dive-bombing a mountain lion every chance I got. That cat killed my friend Squiggy, a tiny squirrel with huge eyes whose chattering voice brought the trees to life. I was blinded by a dry ache for my friend, and I thought my claws might
I’m writing about lichen today. Yes, lichen. That ugly old stuff that grows on a rock. It’s like the forest was still painting the picture and just sort of left it there. If you’re a rational creature (and I am), then you look at a bare rock and say “no way”. There’s no dirt,
Let’s face something that we all quietly know and then turn away and act like it’s not there. Life is incredibly unfair. Some hatch into nests made of silky material. Some arrive speaking numbers, music, or having charisma . Some are blessed with parents who wrap them in warmth. The others… are
There’s something magical about that first ray of sunlight creeping over your feathers and giving you the sense that the whole universe is acknowledging your presence in its own quiet way. It doesn’t feel like just being hit with light; it feels like some type of gentle hum of energy. Like the universe is saying,
A Guide to Not Letting Others Get Under Your Feathers. Let’s cut right to it, shall we? Maintaining your internal peace and quiet is very challenging when your closest neighbor is essentially a horn blaring in the fog with the wingspan of an airplane. I am Whimsel, a Barred Owl of some discernment;
I’m an owl, and I’ve been around endings for a bit. Mine usually involves a very surprised vole and a swift conclusion. It’s called the Circle of Life. Very efficient, although it requires some emotional processing. There are bigger endings than the ones I facilitate. At the very bottom of the ocean;
I’ve relocated to the bed of flowers near your back porch. I’ll be honest, they’re not looking their best. A salad bar that quietly gave up around 1997 comes to mind. If I were a rookie observer; a squirrel, perhaps, who sees the world entirely through fear and acorns, I might look at
I sat in silence on a moss-covered rock near the creek. It’s a lively spot, and the sound of the water is incredibly soothing; something most people only notice once their headphones die and nature sneaks in by accident. As I watched the water flow, I was reminded of how selfless it is. Water has one
One of the more puzzling things about humans is how much effort you put into not being yourselves. Being the best version of you is, in theory, one of the simplest tasks available to a human. You arrive fully equipped. That impressive, mushy brain of yours comes preloaded with instincts, curiosities, preferences, and a quiet inner compass; all
