A cool photo I took hiking.

Check this out. A couple weeks ago I got out for a hike and spotted this Barred owl. He flew from the trail up onto a tree branch. We walked right up to it, within 12 feet or so, and my friend Ezra snapped this photo with my cell phone! He didn't move at all, except to turn his head. An amazing sight and a great start to 2008.

The wilderness always relaxes me and helps hit my internal 'reset' button.

Some mornings an owl perches on the roof vent for the bathroom. I can hear it hooting quite loudly.

That is neat. Last summer from June thru aug we had a screetch owl that would appear every evening in our front yard. At times he maybe did not show up for a day or two but for the most part he would be there every evening until dark. I never did take a picture, wish I did. I could get right under him sometimes seemed like an arms length away. We called him screetch. It was really cool.