Observations

May 5, 2009

Owls in the morning and Walmart at night. That was my day yesterday. An odd, but satisfying mix. The owls were amazing. A mother barred owl and her two young ones learning to fly. We squatted on the ground to watch them. They swiveled their heads to watch us. The kids eventually grew tired of watching and returned to the playground. I could have watched the owls all day. One moment cursing under my breath that I didn't have a better lens to really capture what I was seeing and in the next moment happy to just be there, soaking up what I was seeing. Fluffy little heads. One feather floating down to the ground. Protective mama owl changing position. Piercing eyes. Curious eyes. They must have been here all along. Perched in these trees above the playground, yet we never noticed them until yesterday.

And late last night a trip to Walmart. By myself. I know that some people make a conscious decision not to shop at Walmart. I am not a big fan either, but I do love my occasional late night field trips. Observing, listening, and taking in the roaming characters. Late night at Walmart is not the same as morning, not the same as weekend. It's a different crowd. Foreign languages punctuate the aisles. The pace is slow. No need to rush. I amble and enjoy feeling as if I am the only one in the store. And when I happen upon other shoppers there is an uneasy sort of comradeship. I spend too much time studying the wild bird seed and realize that I am becoming one of those kooky bird people. I hear the shift change as the new crew arrives to stock the shelves. They rumble out of the back with their bulging, beeping loads. A night of work to prepare for the next day's onslaught of shoppers. Unlike my typical, mad rush shopping trips with kids in tow, when I leave Walmart late at night I feel sated and strangely revived. It satisfies my introverted desires to shop without others whining or pushing and my voyeuristic desires to peek behind the scenes.
Tara said...

I agree! If WalMart is to be enjoyed at all- it has to be in the evening - all alone, no rushing and no kiddos pining for the toy aisle.

Glad you got to peek at the owls..

Lynnie said...

I have spent a fair amount of my life in very rural places, so I know what it's like to feel like going to Walmart is a mini-vacation! And some of them are open at 3am!!!!!! Nothing out in "the sticks" is ever open then! Fabulous! : )

Dawn Suzette said...

Owls! Wonderful... I would have been right there with ya all day...
I listened to a book on my first trip to Nova Scotia when Dylan was just a little baby, called The Wal-Mart Effect. It was a very enlightening look at Wal-Mart!
It is a strange place to be in when shopping alone can bring such satisfaction... even when shopping for bird seed!

lisa said...

You should write a book.....you make even Wal Mart sound poetic. :) I used to go to Target (mainly before we had kids since we moved here shortly thereafter) and roam. I never felt like I had to buy anything (though I usually did) but there was something relaxing and therapeutic about just pushing the cart around aimlessly.

Funny thing about that-- I remember when I went to Target two summers ago, after having been here for a year and a half I felt all panicky and jittery...all the choices. Whoa are there choices. It gives me anxiety to have all those choices now. ha ha ha

Francesca said...

We hear owls all the time in summer, but I saw one only once 8 years ago, and I can still remember it. ANd I fully relate to the reviving powers of a solo trip to the grocery store!

Sadako said...

Aww, owl babies learning to fly!

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