Owls

Scene from a neighborhood yard. And it’s a little curious as to why these two things have been placed on the table together.

In folk cultures all over the world, owls have often been seen as bad omens or dark forces -- although in Asia and Europe, white owls and eared owls were thought to bring wealth and prosperity, and symbolized wisdom. They were helpful, good creatures in the Harry Potter series.

Owls also play an important role in keeping the rodent population under control. Some people here put fake owls by their gardens in hopes of keeping crows and mice away. Hoping for a scarecrow effect. (It can be debated as to if it actually works…)

When I was a little girl, I had some records (that were played on one of those ancient relics called a record player) which had some children’s rhymes set to music. Here’s a shortened version of one of them:

The owl and the pussy cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five pound note…

They eventually decide they wanted to get married, but they needed a ring…

They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,

Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.'
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
~ Edward Lear