Why Owls

After his unscheduled flight and abrupt landing the other day, I'm sure my former ceramic owl is asking "why me" from his perch in the garbage.  I guess the first question is, why owls?

I don't know.  I've been attracted to, and collecting owls, since I was a teenager.  There is something about them that appeals to me.  They can look so dignified and wise and there is always an air of alertness and tension within them, as if they were planning to fly off at any moment.  Traditionally owls are associated with wisdom; the goddess Athena had an owl companion.  I always felt that owls would be good at keeping secrets too.  Owls have a very distinctive silhouette, and can't be mistaken for any other bird.

Over the years, I have received many owls as gifts.  It started over 30 years ago when my friend Joan gave me a picture of an owl for being her best man.  My parent's friends brought me an authentic Greek owl from their trip to Athens, and I bought myself an owl there during our 25th anniversary celebration.  I have a small black plastic owl on my key ring that my husband found in a big box store.  The owl used to hoot and his eyes flashed blue, but either his batteries were weak or I played with him too much.  He is silent now.  This Christmas my brother in law gave me an awesome owl hat and fingerless owl gloves.  I wore them all winter, and received many compliments.  I must remember to get a picture next year.

My computer screen saver is always owl related.  I used to have trouble locating good free owl wallpaper, but have found an excellent site now.  One of my sons gave me a book called "Hungover Owls" for Christmas.  It's based on the premise that although owls look dignified and wise they are, in fact, severely hungover.  There is a website with the same name, which posts pictures taken by readers and emailed in.  Then the author makes up a caption.  The humour can be very rude.  Do not go looking the website up and then emailing me to say that you are insulted, because you have been warned.  I have been known to have a juvenile and rude sense of humour, probably as a result of mothering male teenagers. 

Have I mentioned that my first, rag quilt, had two different owl fabrics in it?  Well, actually the same pattern but different colours.  When I was at the CreativeFest in Mississauga a few weeks ago I found a baby quilt that was adorable.  All it needs is to have the binding sewn on, but it has a very sixties vibe to it with owls and flowers in pinks and greens and golds and blues and oranges.  I fell deeply in love with it, and then remembered that one of my sons' friends was going to have a baby, so I had a perfect excuse to buy it.  

For Mother's Day, my daughter in law (with a little assistance from my son and her mother) made me a beautiful canvas owl knitting bag.  He is a goodly size, and will actually fit any project in progress, from afghan to quilt.  I love the colours and the imagination and will certainly be proud to take it to any of the classes I attend.

Oh, and my favourite cup of coffee?  It's cafe con leche, made in my bestest owl mug, and savoured at home on weekends when we're reading the papers.  In my experience, anything is better if it is owl related.