If I hadn't chosen to shut the chicken coop door at 4.30 pm....if I hadn't noticed a few fallen apples strewn underneath one of the old apple trees in the orchard....if I had chosen to leave them rather than take the trouble to collect them.... and if the half light of dusk had not contributed me to lose my footing and stumble.... then I wouldn't have sat on the bench to rub my ankle... And I would not have seen and heard it.
It was its large flapping wings than alerted me and I sat bolt upright, daring not to breathe or move as the visitor glided and descended into another of the old apple trees, just a few feet away from my own perch. I could tell by the silouette and size that it was an owl which was confirmed a few moments later by the familiar hoots.
The owl's haunting calls were duly answered by an owl in a neighbouring garden and precipitated a conversation that lasted several minutes. I don't know how I managed to stay so still for so long. Then the owl opened its wings and up and away it flew, across the orchard and out to the valley beyond.
We enjoyed a wonderful weekend with a houseful of family but I felt subdued as I waved the last of the smalls off this morning. The house was quiet and I felt lonely as I tackled the washing and ironing. A visit to the dentist contributed to my malaise. However, I now feel uplifted. Special moments cannot be planned for or contrived, they just happen.
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