old wheat warehouse

Owls 13 Owlers 3

The title is how Bobbie explains the outcome of our latest owl venture. We are trailing owls this year. We hope to see 13 different kinds within the Oregon border but we may have to wander just a little ways into the state of Washington. We've already seen a great horned owl (the one made famous in our book Owl Grove) and we had the breathless privilege of seeing a snowy owl on our first trip out and a short eared owl just off I-5 a few weeks ago along with getting a good close up view of our new great niece, Olivia.

The last couple trips out have rendered no new owl sightings but have transformed me into a true amateur birder complete with new binoculars hanging around my neck. Today we quietly clomped around in an old wheat warehouse on an Oregon Century Farm hoping to see a barn owl who left lots of hefty evidence of his presence in the form of big owl pellets and plenty of whitewash which is maybe the folksy bird watchers way of referring to poop. We studied it carefully to try to determine which side of the barn he entered and which side he exited according to the spray patterns of the, um, whitewash. And we used the flashlight to try to spot him up in the rafters. Bobbie even climbed up one of the wooden ladders that led up to one of the shafts to try to spot him. No luck so we had some fun looking at the old farm equipment and some interesting sorts of farm relics in the huge structure which cast all sorts of angles of light patterns in and around the inside of the warehouse. We warmed ourselves up in the car which we angled into just the right position to catch sight of the owl as he left at dusk to hunt but we didn't see him even though we lingered until almost total darkness. We figure he must have a secondary roost somewhere else but we will return within the next few weeks to try to spot him so we can up our score against the winning owls.

Football the Fast Way

We watched the Rose Bowl today. We watch "Pat's way" which means that he DVR's the game and then we start watching it when it's about halfway through in real time. That way he speeds through the commercials and all the talkie-talk from the commentators on the sidelines, in the booth and behind the duck who does push ups every time Oregon scores. We skip half-time altogether. It's actually not so painful for me to watch a game if done this way.

I don't like football. It's too violent and reminds me too much of ancient Rome when the gladiators slaughtered Christians and animals for sport in front of packed coliseums. But as depicted in movies, we maybe could have recognized the fighters and their victims while football players remain nearly anonymous in their Star Wars-looking uniforms. I always think of the players' mothers as they are being twisted and pounded on the field while shouts of, "Get him! Kill him!" are roaring around the stadium. And when the game is delayed for injury, I don't like it when the cameras swoop down for a close look at the injured player sort of like driving by road kill. Then I am panting with anxiety for the player and his poor mother who is watching with both pride and horror.

When I was young, I refused on principle to watch football. I had all sorts of lofty reasons for not "wasting my time" on such aggressive, violent exploitation of players, colleges and fans of all ilk. I watch it once in a while now just because I can sit there and knit, be with my husband, and eventually doze off to the rattle-rattle white noise of the commentators. I sort of understand the game but am still way too much put off by all the noise, commercialism and violence of this American cultural rite of some sort of passage that the fans and participants somehow never manage to get through.

And why is it now called the "Discover Orange Bowl" rather than the "Orange Bowl" as sponsered by Discover? Sounds like Wall Street has a big hand in this activity too.

Maybe I'll provide my views about professional basketball sometime soon. I watch lots of Trailblazer games and have views about this "sport" as well.

Two Gifts

Among the many gifts that have come my way this holiday season, two stand out as most special. One was the holiday party I attended with my knitting group. I drove up to a scene through the windows that was Dickens-like in its traditional appearance. Women were placing food on the dining table, others were working in the kitchen and still others were visiting in the main living area. All the rooms were aglow with Christmas lights and happy smiles. Inside, the smell of homemade soup, the fresh green of the tree, the dogs' homemade stockings hanging jauntily on the mantel, the row of brightly wrapped gifts and the steady hum of the voices made for a welcoming scene. Then the carefully prepared meal of three different soups and salads along with homemade bread and the traditional cake from the Market of Choice made up our special dinner. Then the gifts. And then a group song led by our truly gifted singers Betsey, April and Mary Lou blended the happiness of each of us into a combined holiday glow that kept me warm all the way home.

Special gift number two came out of the dense fog of yesterday when my sister and I spotted one of the snowy owls that have migrated from the Arctic to spend time here in Oregon. We didn't really think we'd see it, but only ten seconds out of the car Bobbie was motioning me to join her since she'd seen the owl resting on an electrical box in a huge field between I-5 and the Albany Mennonite Village. No hiking, hunting, traipsing or searching was needed. Just up a little knoll in front of the car and we had a front row seat at the showing of this magnificent creature who'd come from so far away. We stood and watched until the cold drove us back to the warm car. We got a good long look through our own binoculars and through a scope that some other birders were kind enough to share with us. The white was so white on that bird and it was so carefully contrasted to the dark bars of edgings on the tips of its feathers. The owl was composed, regal and self-assured occasionally turning its head to look directly at us. His feathers were all ruffled out to preserve body warmth and we felt full of triumphant owlness as we made our way back to the car. What a gift.

December Wellness

Hmmm. Last night we celebrated the new kitchen counter tops with a meal of nachos and beer and followed that up with ice cream and donuts on the way home from the restaurant. Not so wellness oriented.

BUT: I continue to workout! I think that counts for something. I work out with my p.t. twice a week for an hour and try to do solo activities two other days. I'm not sure what's happening beyond the fact that I can get through almost any day without a nap.

Soooooooooooo food continues to be a challenge. I can't get a good handle on my addictive eating but am still open to ideas. But I am definitely moving the body around a lot more than before.

The pursuit of wellness therefore is ongoing.

Books for Christmas

We took the books to the Portland Audubon Nature Store Saturday and to the Oregon Historical Society Holidaycheer event today. Both were exciting places to sell books for different reasons. We meet interesting and colorful people wherever we go to sign and sell books but the Nature Store was a class venue with a crackling fire, real piano music and top notch holiday treats all festooned with eye-catching displays of all sorts of gift ideas related to nature. People trekked in and out before and after hiking around the local trails stopping off for a peek at the birds feasting at the many feeders and snagging a gift or two while they were at it. We sold lots of books and enjoyed every minute.

Today we were at a huge 60+ author event at the Oregon Historical Society. This was their 44th year to offer books by Oregon authors in a holiday setting. Loads of people streamed in and around all day long to see big time authors such as Barbara Roberts, Gerry Frank, and starring the famous author Jean Auel of The Clan of the Cave Bear fame. Bobbie figured there were about 200 people in line to get their books signed by her. She is an elderly woman who looked a bit frail and not all that excited to be gushed over yet again but she obviously knows her book selling duties. We were right across the room from her. It was fun to pretend to be as rich and famous as she is knowing that our books reach their own little audience of people who are aware of the importance and pleasure to be found in nature. I shook hands with the delightful Barbara Roberts and got to tell Steve Duin how much I enjoy his column. . .most of the time.

All in all, it was another great weekend for owls and pikas in bookland. Thank you to all of you who attended. I hope you had as much fun as we did. See you in Eugene next weekend!