Sounds of the Night

Last night, coming up the steps with my son, he suddenly shushes me.

"What?"

"Shush!"

I listen.

"Hoo- hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo---!"

I continue to listen. I hear it from the top of the white pine a block away, then the top of my majestic white pine, then I hear it across the street in the Norway spruce. Again and again it repeats.

Three male Great Horned Owls each in his own tall tree, right here it town; I hear no female cries. maybe she is waiting to see which of her young suitors develops the best song. The thought there might be a whole "parliament" of owls living right in my block is wonderful news.

I knew those rabbits that killed my burning bush last year had it coming! Sounds like it might be a bad year for moles, voles, and shrews, too!

Yeah!