My very own guardian owl. From Sealmaiden on Etsy.
At the V&A Museum of Childhood (blog entry here).
They inched their way along the limb, Mrs. Frisby gripping the rough bark tightly, being careful not to stumble; and as they came closer, she could dimly perceive a shape like a squat vase sitting back in the hollow of the tree. Near the top of the vase, wide apart, two round yellow eyes glowed in the dark."He can't see us," Jeremy whispered. "It's still too light."Perhaps not, but he could hear, for now a deep round voice, a voice like an organ tone, echoed out of the hollow trunk:"Who is standing outside my house?"
--from Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O'Brien.
"I understand," said the owl, moving closer to the round entrance of his hollow. "Mrs. Mouse, I cannot see you, for the glare of the daylight is too bright. But if you will step inside my house, I will listen to what you have to say."Mrs. Frisby hesitated. She knew something of the dietary habits of owls...
In the back the walls narrowed to a corner, and there she saw that the owl had built himself a nest, as big as a water bucket, of twigs and leaves; from the top she could see protruding some wisps of the feathers with which he had lined it.When she got near this nest, she stopped and faced the owl, who had turned from the light of the doorway and was peering at her with his great yellow eyes. Jeremy was nowhere to be seen. She could only hope he was still waiting on the limb outside."Now," said the owl, "you may state your problem."
Edit: How could I have forgotten this? It's a juvenile snowy owl on the Northwest Passage (expedition link here). Photo by Dr. Michael Brogan.
My first instinct was to write, "Weirdo." But instead I will just say, very cool.
Have a Happy New Year!
A. We need to watch Sword in the Stone in January.
B. I will say what Neil was too polite to say: WEIRDO!
Me too me too me too!!!!
But, um, you have more physical evidence to show for it. My owl obsession remains (mostly) in my head.
I love David Bowie!
I understand obsessions, although I'm not an owl-person per se. My sis teases me by singing "It's a small world" whenever she visits. There's a China-themed room, a western room, a beach-themed room. I only wish I could have more rooms! Or that I could afford to rotate themes. Or something. I'm not sure why anyone would think it weird, though. :)