Owl-ivia

This spring, in addition to the doves on our pergola, our neighborhood was home to a nesting owl. The nest was high in the branches of a large pine tree down the road from us. My family learned of it late, since [The Man I Love] and I have been rather workaholic lately. But the families on our street who have young kids had been observing it since the nest was built, and watched the young owlets hatch out.

A neighbor pointed out the nest to us one weekend morning when we took our walk. He was walking down the street with his toddler boy and infant girl, and their grandparents, camera and binoculars in hand, to get a good look at the owls.

A few days after that, I walked down to the pine tree myself, with my own camera, hoping to get a shot of the owls. I am not good at spotting birds among the foliage, and I just couldn't seem to make the nest out in the branches of the trees. Oh well.

The other morning, while on our walk, we saw this notice, enclosed in a plastic sheet protector, tacked to the trunk of the big pine tree:

It reads:

Owlivia

In memory of Owlivia
She was loved by the whole neighborhood
she died on May 29, 2008
Fiona and her moma found her and buried
her amongst the irises.
she warmed our hearts, blessed our souls
and will be remember by all who
had the pure joy of watching her
in the old pine tree.

Fiona is the little girl down the street who used to throw her arms around the neck of our beloved Malamute and declare "Oh, [Malamute] I love you, I love you, I love you!" She was so sad when he died, and I am sure that he warmed her heart, and she will remember him, just like Owlivia.

I just know that Fiona will grow up to be an adult who loves animals and human beings, and will nurture them and care for them in her life and in her work.