Owls as Neighbors:

Several weeks ago I went out to the barn for something - who knows what?

There was a HUGE fluttering of feathers and wings, and for a brief moment I thought to myself, "Omigoodness, the peacocks are back!!" but, I knew, realistically, that my peacocks are happily encamped in their new home and would never have made the many-miles trek back to their former abode. What was that??!

A few nights later That Spouse o' Mine came in and announced that we now had a barn owl. In our barn. Yippee! I love fowl of any abstract sort.

The following day That Spouse o' Mine went on an "Everyone Must Have Their Oil Changed:TODAY!!!" campaign, and so to the oil changer place, I went. While I sat in the oil changer place's lobby-or-whatever, I grabbed a really old issue of Birds 'n' Blooms. I perused the pages, and WHAT DO YOU KNOW??? There was a brief blurb about the benefits of "Building Owl Houses in Your Woods."

We have woods!

We have a resident owl!

Would more resident owls come a' knockin' if we had more owl houses?

YES!!! I hope so!!!

So after the oil changer place, I went to the local public library, which, let me assure you, has more owl house plans that my internet provider. At least owl house plans for the simple-minded. The Audubon one on the internet was geared for Fine Living and HGTV, I think. All I wanted to know was how much plywood, what shape, and how high. That's all.

Now I have the plans, and have informed all parties who may dwell in this abode in the next 30 days, that this is their task.

You, too, be forewarned.