we see owls
One late November day, my arms were aching from hauling wood all afternoon, stocking the woodpile for winter. As the light sank away, the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen played across the hills. From the edge of the ridge, the colors spanned more than half the rim of the horizon, stretching themselves like napping kittens, one eye half-open. Layers of clouds made compelling patterns as they slid past each other at cross directions.
Harry pulled the other tractor up behind mine saying, "I was hoping you would turn around and see this." We stood in the cold, watching the colors flowing and shifting, souls making their subtle evolutions.
Color had almost deepened into darkness when I saw the first shape float silently across the field. "Owls," I said. And they were. A pair of short-eared owls were patrolling the field we had just cut for hay, rodent inhabitants now exposed. They called softly to each other, and were quite interested in us. They flew past us several times--I could see their flat faces, their round eyes transfixing me, making eye-contact for the transmission of secrets. We watched them hunt, flying in total silence, till our toes were tingling with cold. Such grace and beauty makes the hard labor of farm-life worthwhile.
Harry pulled the other tractor up behind mine saying, "I was hoping you would turn around and see this." We stood in the cold, watching the colors flowing and shifting, souls making their subtle evolutions.
Color had almost deepened into darkness when I saw the first shape float silently across the field. "Owls," I said. And they were. A pair of short-eared owls were patrolling the field we had just cut for hay, rodent inhabitants now exposed. They called softly to each other, and were quite interested in us. They flew past us several times--I could see their flat faces, their round eyes transfixing me, making eye-contact for the transmission of secrets. We watched them hunt, flying in total silence, till our toes were tingling with cold. Such grace and beauty makes the hard labor of farm-life worthwhile.
