Here is a good story.

Joel called on his way to town to pick up the youth kids to come over He said that he just spotted the owl again on the fence post. Emily and I both squealed and then my girl raised her index finger in the air, stopped short her squealing and said:
“But…we can’t scare it away” very seriously.

“Lets go, let’s go!” I said and we headed down the driveway. People should know that heading down my driveway is no small task (its long and its steep!), especially when it snowed three inches in the morning and that snow has turned the driveway to mud. In any event Em and I will not be deterred and we run down the hill while Emily YELLS

“Lets go see da owl. Lets go see him. I’m going to take a present from him”

In our exuberance…we may or may not have got going to fast.

I may have seen Emily blur past me in no-good-for-running gum boots.

I may have shouted at her to slow down.

I may have tried to catch her.

I did not and the poor little girl ended up FACE first in a mud puddle. I wish, oh I wish, I had a photo for you (I admit I was tempted to take the photo before rescuing her but thankfully I thought better of it) because I’m not sure you will believe me if I tell you that her face and left shoulder were literally stuck in the mud. Her feet where in the air. It was amazing.

She only cried for a moment thankfully, though she did pout occasionally for the remainder of the outing because of her very dirty self and she did insist that I carry her oh-so-muddy self all the way to the top of our mountain when we were finished. However we would both tell you..

So. WORTH. It.

What an amazing creature. And yes…most definately a Great Gray Owl.