Hoot 'n Holler

We're camping in the deep dark woods.

The deep dark woods with the wireless internet service.

Roughing it.

It has been raining.  Here and there.  Intermittently.  At night.

But tonight...wow.  How I wish I had night vision goggles hooked up to my camera.  I was stepping outside the camper when I heard a low trilling sound.  I saw a flash out of the corner of my eye, and definite something landing 10 feet away, on the timber that surrounds the campsite.  I got my flashlight and pointed it in that direction.

There was a little red screech owl sitting RIGHT THERE. 

Looking at me like, "Dude.  What's with the light?  I'm an owl."  But it stayed.  RIGHT THERE.

I called the boys out and we stood and watched as what appeared to be the mama owl (the red one) flew around talking to her baby owls (fuzzy gray ones.)  She occasionally flew down onto the ground and scooped up lizards and worms to take back to them.  They flew from branch to branch, ungainly and awkward, constantly trilling to keep in touch with her. 

It totally reminded me of my day today, with the boys, only without the worms.  And I didn't make them eat the lizard.

Babies.

Anyway, I walked up to within about 5 feet of Mama Screechy.  She was all, "Whatev.  I don't even see you there.  I'm completely ignoring you, twit.  What are you - the paparazzi or something?"  (You should totally add a Rosie Perez accent right there, because that is what I heard.  I swear.)

It was so cool, that we watched that show for about 20 minutes, instead of Star Trek.  The original Star Trek.  First season.

Shut up.