Seldom Seen #15

We have a very large patio on the back of the monastery. It's probably about 15' wide and as long as the dining room and community room together, maybe 60'. It's a great place for eating meals outdoors, for the special morning prayer we had during retreat, and for guests to mingle at summer events. However, a few years ago we were having "troubles" with the many birds that inhabit our woods, creek and lakeside. One of our sisters read about how birds will fly clear of owls, so she purchased two "fierce" looking plastic owls and, sure enough, the problems disappeared.

This is our usual view of the owls we have on the patio--keeping watch.

This is the seldom seen view that the birds encounter if they venture too near! Fierce.

However, we do like owls and hear them often in our woods. So here's yet a third view of them:

Owl Poem

One has to say this for the rounds of life
that keep coming and going; it has worked so far.
The rabbit, after all, has never asked if the grass wanted to live.
Any more than the owl consults with the rabbit.

Acceptance of the world requires
that I bow even to you,
Master of the night.

Mary Oliver