Snowflakes and Feathers

As I sat outside under the blanket of a heavily pink winter's sky, I stayed focused on my phone. Scrolling through Facebook my hands were cold and starting to feel a bit numb, I wondered how many other people were still awake?

Chances were not very many.

People were most likely fast asleep under their mountain of warm blankets. Oblivious to the night sky and it's looming snow  storm.

It was close to midnight and a very crisp 25 degrees out. The weather forecast was all the enticement I needed to throw on a coat and wait for it to start snowing.

I love the sound of snow. Some people don't hear it the way I do, or connect with freshly fallen snow the way I always have. And the prospect of a million snowflakes made me feel excited!

I have had a love affair with winter and the way snow makes me feel since I was young. The large white flakes cascading down like confetti from the heavens above, making everything gray turn pristine and white. New. Snow makes everything feel and look new again. 

According to the weather report, at approximately 12:15 a.m. we would be hit again by a mega snow storm. I wanted to be in it, even if it was late. Even if I was the only other living soul waiting for the snow fall to begin, I was cool with that.

I moved my large faux fur coat around pulling it closer to my now frozen cheeks while adjusting my floppily knitted blue hat. Damn, it was cold outside!

My coat is affectionately named  "pimp coat". Large and slightly crazy looking, all I needed was a few big gold chains and it could easily make a fantastic Halloween costume! I never wear it in public though, as there's no way I would ever be caught and seen outside of my backyard with it on. Ever.

As I sat, I eagerly waited for the snow to start. "This is ridiculous, I am going to freeze to death out here." I murmured to myself. Out of scrolling material and no large iced up flakes to gather my attention, I figured I should make my way back inside before I became a frozen piece of meat.

I started to half way stand up from my seat when out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fall to the ground, just as a large snowflake would.

Yes! The snow must be starting. I was eager to expierience the feeling of peace that comes with the complete stillness that snow often brings with it.

I arched my head to look towards my open backyard to see the evidence in the air, to confirm that it had truly began snowing. There was nothing.

Weird, I thought. The ground around me was encapsulated with several days old snow. Looking more like frozen ice now having been trampled on by both dogs and snow boots.  Some of it was patchy and dirty, many spots now sporting a mixed brown and gray look.

It had been a crazy winter thus far and despite my dislike for driving in heavy snow, I kept my childlike wonder about me. I mean come on! It's going to snow!

I would usually be the first person in the house to yell out "look, it's snowing! It's beautiful, come see it!" while I often stood mesmerized by it- as if I had never seen snow before. And my excitement was usually met with the moans and groans of everyone else whom never seemed to be as pleased about it, like I was. Whatever.

And then there's me; a girl and her vibes, freezing her ass off under my big blue spruce tree. Waiting patiently for the snow to show up, like a child waiting for a parent to come home from work. Looking at the time, watching, wondering and waiting.

I guess the weatherman was wrong. Again. Maybe I had seen one lone flake make it's journey down to earth and that's all there was.

To my surprise though, I saw two other "flakes" flutter to the ground in front of me. Well, I thought they were snowflakes.  The winter sky cast a light pink hue,  barely enough to make out much detail. I was startled, as the two "flakes" pierced the ground in front of my feet.

Wtf is that!? For some reason I became fearful. I could hardly  make out the shape of what had fallen infront of my feet. Two small objects literally sticking up and out of the old snow like little pins.

Now, understand that I am actually a pretty rational thinking person. Despite my many spiritual experiences, most of the time I still meet these experiences with a skeptical eye.

The first thing I thought was "holy hell, those look like little arrows!" Mind you, I am fully aware there are not little people roaming in my tree shooting small arrows at me. Well, atleast 99.9% sure. So, what is going on here?

I ever so slowly grabbed my phone and turned on it's "torch light" even slower, I brought the light upward to shine it above me towards the under belly of my tree. From my lit up phone I saw several small feathers were falling, fluttering and landing around me.

My heart skipped a beat, as I spied a gigantic owl several branches above me, just chilling in my tree. I unconsciously held my breath.

I have been lucky enough to have amazing experiences with owls in my backyard. Mostly screech owls, small like a typical barn owl. I live in the city though, so even having seen one or two screetch owl before was miraculous to me!

This was no small owl above me. She was majestic! With it's wing stretched out like it's own branch, it's mouth routing around deeply within it's creamy brown colored feathers, preening itself.

I quickly turned my light off. I sank back into my frozen chair and just closed my eyes with my head tilted upwards, waiting for the owl to bestow me with more of her feathery gifts. I was awestruck.

Time stood still. I was no longer a frozen popcicle, I was warm and in that moment felt more alive than I had in months.

I heard each small feather as it danced and flitted down to land on my coat and a few even on my face. It sounded like snow. And I was inexplicably shaking inside.

This was insane! Owl feathers landing on top of me and my "pimp coat!" At half past midnight!? What kind of sign was the universe giving me? As I took a long breath into my nose, I again felt the sting of winter as the frozen air made it's way into my lungs and back out again.

I heard movement above me and flapped my eyes open. Just as the owl made eye contact with me, she gave out a sharp shrill that cut my consciousness in half and flew out from under my tree and away she went. Leaving me breathless as I gathered my thoughts.

Wow. Just wow. I looked down towards the ground to admire the gifts she had indeed given me. Small feathers stuck in my cap as if I had just won something.

I stood and snapped a few pictures of the feathers sticking up in the ground. Funny my first thought was small arrows! But, as you can see, they do look strikingly similar!

As I made my way back to my very inviting and warm house, it began to snow. Snow like I have never seen it snow before!

I stopped for a moment, closed my eyes again and connected with the feeling of peace and dizziness I had just experienced under my tree.

The snow makes a sound when it falls, unlike the splat of rain when it hits, flakes gather ontop of one another and as they did, I heard it's symphony. I was engulfed in large, cold, fluffy and sparkling white flakes.

I opened my mouth and turned my head towards the dumping sky. I felt a few icey flakes hit my mouth and instantly dissapear. I felt like a child again, full of dreams and anticipation.

I twirled in the snow like a 5 year old for a good several minutes before stumblingly and wobbling my way back into my house. The warm air greeted me, and I began to melt. Small ice blobs that had formed on the brim of my hat dripped onto my face. I stood at my sliding glass door gazing at the snow fall while trying to make sense of it all. 

I don't know what exactly the message was, but, I am sure that owl has given me one.

Perhaps, the message would come forward like spring does, melting off the old piles of snow, bringing forth new growth and life. And I would recognize it's meaning?

Either way, I had just experienced something amazing and beautiful. And this too, would mean I was no longer the same person whom initially sat under the tree, waiting for the snow to start. I was different somehow, and full of gratitude for every second of it.

She has not come back, or at least I have not seen her. But, I like to believe we shared a connection of sorts in that chilly wintery moment. When she had hovered above me and then opened her wings leaving small feathered messages behind and flew away. I feel as if we might meet again someday.

The colorful autumn leafs are beginning to fall and flitter again. I await this winters snow fall with anticipation for that chance meeting with her; hoping for another magical forecast of snowflakes and feathers.