Some of my 70,000ish thoughts today are how much I enjoyed this piece and some of the observations and speculations in it. Thanks !
On a lighter note, I was hauling my ass around the woods yesterday, feeling a bit fluey and sorry for myself, but determined to give Youna (5 yr old Lurcher) a nice walk.
At one point a Tawny Owl called on one side and I saw a Buzzard swoop from a tree close to me on the other.
Suddenly that old Stealers Wheel song popped into my head (approx thought number 56,879) and I started singing:
'Owl to the left of me, Buse to the right (Buzzard in French), here I am, stuck in the middle with Youna'. Ha !
Chloe, I find it really difficult to comment on your posts.
Because every word and every line fills me with awe and joy and wonder. And I want to comment on every sentence with you but none of us have time for that right?!
From the start I am in an elevated state as I read your comment on the owl's call being "equal parts haunting and comforting (as I myself aspire to be)". So good. You are such a gift Chloe. Thank you. 🙏
"I wondered whether such an initiative could take off for people. Whether a badge or other signifier might be worn by those who are grieving, or even just by those who desperately need their day to be kind."
I have had that idea for about 10 years, always dreaming of a not-so-secret item (maybe a tshirt or beads) that would signal the knowing that you are in need. I always wanted to signal 'please be kind to me today' or 'I need a hug' and I would spend about 48,000 thoughts daydreaming that some magnificent person would casually recognize, give me a silent nod, embrace me for a moment, and then be on their way. And my heart would flood with gratitude.
Mid morning here in SE USA, gloomy, rainy. Yet surely brightened by what you wrote. “… a very particular type of silence… made only for truth to be spoken into.” Resounding in my old brain regions.
I’ve not heard the call of the Tawny Owl. (Well I’ve never been to England, but I sure would like to go there) On this side of the pond we have our very vocal, yes uproarious, Barred Owl. Mostly eastern US and north into Canada. Their regular call has 8 syllables in two groups of four. A nice addition to night around a campfire. When they lose their minds and begin making very unearthly sounds, they certainly inject fear into the dark of night. I hear the voices calling Charon to transport the next boat loaded with souls across the River Styx.
No doomscrolling today! You’ve unleashed nearly all my 70,000 thoughts.
Sometimes, mostly in the morning, I wear a yellow jacket. Perhaps I should try to find one that is visible to everyone else.
As always, Chloe, a delicate, meditative read, making me pause to think on the perceived stress that I feel about the week ahead and how I should, and can, let that go. Thank you for the awareness that you bring to life.
I wish you the very best in your transformation to owl. May the depths of the illuminated night be rich and wondrous.
Yet another peaceful and luminous visit from you this morning. Owls do have an incredible gaze. Last summer, I had a daily visit with a barred owl in my writing spot, and he had a way of looking through me. There’s something about that no-fucks-given way they look at you without blinking that is both unnerving and liberating. You describe it so perfectly. We should all have such confidence to be ourselves.
I read this post, and “heard” you asking “So few?” in Miranda Otto (as Éowyn)’s gutted voice from The Two Towers film, when the riders return decimated to Helm’s Deep. Then I listened, and your voice is not so very different from hers.
I loved your meditations on owls here. It takes a strong spirit to look directly into an owl’s eyes, when the soul wants to quake at what we’ve wrought for them. Here in my corner of America, our relentless push to find uses for and to capitalize everything alive has decimated the deep wilds that spotted owls need. The dark green, drippy, misty giant forests they coevolved with offer nothing useful to human markets. (What those forests, intact, might offer to human spirits is a very different matter, of course.) Only in liquidation are they “seen” by capital, and thus valued.
We have a tiny seabird here called the marbled murrelet. It lives most of its life on the open Pacific Ocean, but comes up to fifty miles (80 km) inland to lay its single green egg on a wide and flat old-growth conifer branch high in a giant tree, in a bed of moss. The mother and father take turns, once every 24 hours, to fly the 100-mile round trip to the ocean to fish. They fly fast, and high, and at dawn and dusk, when the light is not so good for human eyes. Thus, I don’t expect ever to gaze into one’s eyes. But I suspect I’d feel a similar quaking in my soul then too.
Oh Chloe, once again the old tales ring true of the wisdom of the owl .
In the stillness of darkness, nature’s Meditation, Owl with eyes closed, reached across your garden’s night and used its God given senses to touch your soul. For in return , the Tawny spoke a tune of thanks for what he had found .
“Echolocating animals emit calls and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify …”
So many beautiful thoughts here to carry along with me…Although I confess the one I keep returning to is whether I might go ahead and buy some yellow sweaters, even if I’m the only one who knows what I mean by them 🤣
Wonderful encounter and I like the idea of being more Owl-like. I have not seen a Tawny Owl before and not one found here in Canada. I do like the Owl-like quality of observing with a zen-like patience though. This is something I've seen and been the subject of by Barred Owls, Eastern-screech Owls, and Great-horned Owls.
That idea for the dog vest signalling their behaviour and preference is a brilliant idea!
You do it every time. You get me right where I need getting. I thought of you today when I sadly, regrettably found a ruby throated hummingbird lying below my kitchen window. Lifeless. I've had a lacey curtain tacked to the outside of the window to prevent such tragedies, but the wind blew it off. Damn damn damnit.
I wonder why you're getting all these headaches? Do take care Chloe.
You.are.plainly.exquisitely.beauty.herself. Within my 70K thoughts, I want to say I love you so I’m just going to surrender to owl and say it. I LOVE YOU!!!
“The quality of their gaze reminds me of a phenomena which can happen when someone is dying, when a very particular type of silence fills a room—one which feels as though it were made only for truth to be spoken into.” Struck me deeply. It is so soothing to hear someone who has already experienced grief. Thank you Chloe.
“How wonderful!” I said, brimming with envy. 🤣 That's settled, then - I shall wear nothing but yellow from now on... I'm reminded of the silence beads they used to have at a hot springs/resort we used to go to - we were cautioned not to speak to anyone wearing them - but I doubt they would work in the wider world.
Some of my 70,000ish thoughts today are how much I enjoyed this piece and some of the observations and speculations in it. Thanks !
On a lighter note, I was hauling my ass around the woods yesterday, feeling a bit fluey and sorry for myself, but determined to give Youna (5 yr old Lurcher) a nice walk.
At one point a Tawny Owl called on one side and I saw a Buzzard swoop from a tree close to me on the other.
Suddenly that old Stealers Wheel song popped into my head (approx thought number 56,879) and I started singing:
'Owl to the left of me, Buse to the right (Buzzard in French), here I am, stuck in the middle with Youna'. Ha !
"Perhaps our indignations should be held like window-struck Birds—softly enough that they are able to leave us, when it’s time."
I sighed then and opened my hand.
Chloe, I find it really difficult to comment on your posts.
Because every word and every line fills me with awe and joy and wonder. And I want to comment on every sentence with you but none of us have time for that right?!
From the start I am in an elevated state as I read your comment on the owl's call being "equal parts haunting and comforting (as I myself aspire to be)". So good. You are such a gift Chloe. Thank you. 🙏
"I wondered whether such an initiative could take off for people. Whether a badge or other signifier might be worn by those who are grieving, or even just by those who desperately need their day to be kind."
I have had that idea for about 10 years, always dreaming of a not-so-secret item (maybe a tshirt or beads) that would signal the knowing that you are in need. I always wanted to signal 'please be kind to me today' or 'I need a hug' and I would spend about 48,000 thoughts daydreaming that some magnificent person would casually recognize, give me a silent nod, embrace me for a moment, and then be on their way. And my heart would flood with gratitude.
🤗
I so enjoyed your essay! Once again.
Mid morning here in SE USA, gloomy, rainy. Yet surely brightened by what you wrote. “… a very particular type of silence… made only for truth to be spoken into.” Resounding in my old brain regions.
I’ve not heard the call of the Tawny Owl. (Well I’ve never been to England, but I sure would like to go there) On this side of the pond we have our very vocal, yes uproarious, Barred Owl. Mostly eastern US and north into Canada. Their regular call has 8 syllables in two groups of four. A nice addition to night around a campfire. When they lose their minds and begin making very unearthly sounds, they certainly inject fear into the dark of night. I hear the voices calling Charon to transport the next boat loaded with souls across the River Styx.
No doomscrolling today! You’ve unleashed nearly all my 70,000 thoughts.
Sometimes, mostly in the morning, I wear a yellow jacket. Perhaps I should try to find one that is visible to everyone else.
As always, Chloe, a delicate, meditative read, making me pause to think on the perceived stress that I feel about the week ahead and how I should, and can, let that go. Thank you for the awareness that you bring to life.
I wish you the very best in your transformation to owl. May the depths of the illuminated night be rich and wondrous.
Yet another peaceful and luminous visit from you this morning. Owls do have an incredible gaze. Last summer, I had a daily visit with a barred owl in my writing spot, and he had a way of looking through me. There’s something about that no-fucks-given way they look at you without blinking that is both unnerving and liberating. You describe it so perfectly. We should all have such confidence to be ourselves.
I read this post, and “heard” you asking “So few?” in Miranda Otto (as Éowyn)’s gutted voice from The Two Towers film, when the riders return decimated to Helm’s Deep. Then I listened, and your voice is not so very different from hers.
I loved your meditations on owls here. It takes a strong spirit to look directly into an owl’s eyes, when the soul wants to quake at what we’ve wrought for them. Here in my corner of America, our relentless push to find uses for and to capitalize everything alive has decimated the deep wilds that spotted owls need. The dark green, drippy, misty giant forests they coevolved with offer nothing useful to human markets. (What those forests, intact, might offer to human spirits is a very different matter, of course.) Only in liquidation are they “seen” by capital, and thus valued.
We have a tiny seabird here called the marbled murrelet. It lives most of its life on the open Pacific Ocean, but comes up to fifty miles (80 km) inland to lay its single green egg on a wide and flat old-growth conifer branch high in a giant tree, in a bed of moss. The mother and father take turns, once every 24 hours, to fly the 100-mile round trip to the ocean to fish. They fly fast, and high, and at dawn and dusk, when the light is not so good for human eyes. Thus, I don’t expect ever to gaze into one’s eyes. But I suspect I’d feel a similar quaking in my soul then too.
Thank you for provoking these thoughts. 💚
Oh Chloe, once again the old tales ring true of the wisdom of the owl .
In the stillness of darkness, nature’s Meditation, Owl with eyes closed, reached across your garden’s night and used its God given senses to touch your soul. For in return , the Tawny spoke a tune of thanks for what he had found .
“Echolocating animals emit calls and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify …”
So many beautiful thoughts here to carry along with me…Although I confess the one I keep returning to is whether I might go ahead and buy some yellow sweaters, even if I’m the only one who knows what I mean by them 🤣
Wonderful encounter and I like the idea of being more Owl-like. I have not seen a Tawny Owl before and not one found here in Canada. I do like the Owl-like quality of observing with a zen-like patience though. This is something I've seen and been the subject of by Barred Owls, Eastern-screech Owls, and Great-horned Owls.
That idea for the dog vest signalling their behaviour and preference is a brilliant idea!
You do it every time. You get me right where I need getting. I thought of you today when I sadly, regrettably found a ruby throated hummingbird lying below my kitchen window. Lifeless. I've had a lacey curtain tacked to the outside of the window to prevent such tragedies, but the wind blew it off. Damn damn damnit.
I wonder why you're getting all these headaches? Do take care Chloe.
You.are.plainly.exquisitely.beauty.herself. Within my 70K thoughts, I want to say I love you so I’m just going to surrender to owl and say it. I LOVE YOU!!!
Chloe, your words appear to have gentled the molecules of the air surrounding me today, and I thank you. Lovely
“The quality of their gaze reminds me of a phenomena which can happen when someone is dying, when a very particular type of silence fills a room—one which feels as though it were made only for truth to be spoken into.” Struck me deeply. It is so soothing to hear someone who has already experienced grief. Thank you Chloe.
“How wonderful!” I said, brimming with envy. 🤣 That's settled, then - I shall wear nothing but yellow from now on... I'm reminded of the silence beads they used to have at a hot springs/resort we used to go to - we were cautioned not to speak to anyone wearing them - but I doubt they would work in the wider world.