We Saw an Owl in the Woods!

 One late afternoon in early April, as I was folding laundry with the window open, I heard the unmistakable hoot of an owl in the woods directly behind our apartment building. David and I went out to look for it, and surprisingly, we found it pretty quickly! It was perched up on a branch in a tree, and it was amazing to see it in its natural setting. It was a beautiful barred owl that quietly watched us and let us take pictures of it before flying away after several minutes. It was so cool!

David brought out his good camera and, as a result, got some really good pictures.

Do you see it!?

These are some pictures I took with my phone.

And now, check out the close-ups that David got! This owl was so beautiful (and cooperative!).

Eye-to-eye contact!

Here, it has its head turned almost all the way around. Besides us, I think it was checking out potential food sources.

I used binoculars to see it more up close. 

The owl and I! 🦉💕

Look how close we were! Well, that and the power of a zoom lens! 😄

It was an incredible experience. To have that happen unexpectedly, and right in the woods behind where we live, was such a joy. We haven't seen it again yet since then, but I often look for it and other owls when I'm out walking in the woods. No matter what, I'll always have these amazing pictures to remember this beautiful owl and experience!

March 2026 Randoms

The twelve tribes of Israel are a major part of biblical (and world) history. I like this depiction of it. I'm a descendant of Ephraim, from the stick (or branch?) of Joseph. Maybe that's why I like ancient Egypt so much!

Wasn't I cute? 😊

Aaand, me now! 

With my blue-light blocking glasses. They work!

A snapshot of life in a screenshot: Sam asking about dinner, and a news update (which made me glad—I wasn't a fan of Kristi Noem).

{I now interrupt this post about March with two random pictures from February that ended up in my March pictures. Take me back to Mexico!}

😋

Love it!

Happily married! 💕

Before going to a semi-formal

Megyn Kelly is one of my favorite political/social commentators, and I enjoy listening to her podcast. She does honest reporting that's based on facts, and she'll go back and correct things if or when they're wrong. She's a right-leaning independent, which I like.

My friend Anna got this book for me. So nice!

Family game night! Alas, I did not win Clue Master Detective this time. Not even close!

This is one of my favorite snacks: cheese slices with Bonne Maman raspberry preserves. 😋

"Effortless polish with a plan behind it" ✔ 

I'm not saying that I have polish, or that whatever polish I have is effortless, but I do usually have a plan, and good planning helps you to be more polished! 😄

I went to a friend's baby shower, and the house it was at was on a street with an actual covered bridge leading to it. Ah, sweet memories of Vermont! 

UMass-Amherst has really good food. Both John and Sam can attest to this.

Skechers is one of my favorite shoe brands. Their shoes are comfortable and cute! 

I had a goal to read Project Hail Mary before going to see the movie on opening weekend. I got a bit of a late start, but I made it happen in less than a week! At almost 500 pages, I did a lot of reading that week. 😆 It was a great book and movie; I highly recommend them both.

I went to a birthday lunch with my former Relief Society presidency, and Laurie got Janet this funny "Cook of Mormon" apron.

"This meal ain't gonna nourish and strengthen itself" 😆

An awesome library set-up at a furniture store! It was at Jordan's—we were there to see the aforementioned Project Hail Mary at its IMAX theater.

This was beautiful!

Wisdom, Humor, and Inspiration in March 2026

 Do you feel wiser, humored, or more inspired after reading one of these monthly "wisdom, humor, and inspiration" posts? Just wondering. And, I thought so. 😉

Don't procrastinate on what matters most.

This cracks me up. 😂

Like him or hate him (I'm currently neutral—the Iran fiasco and his behavior around it have been bad), this is a great photo.

And while we're on the subject...

I liked this article because I enjoy foreign policy and international relations. I was once interested in going into international diplomacy work.

Civil discourse is good. So is this line: "I see it differently."

One morning when I was doing my scripture study, I came across the exact same quote from President Nelson about the Holy Ghost in two different places. That doesn't happen very often, and it has since proven to be a sign to me of something to be more mindful of. 

I've always been and will always be against abortion. Even if I weren't religious, I'm pretty sure I would be. 

It goes against all my instincts as a woman, mother, and human being.

✔

Inspiration on the back of the Cheerios box 😊

The "modern affirmation mindset" is alive and well, but it's starting to crumble a bit at the edges as more data-driven evidence emerges against it. 

Related to that, I was surprised and disheartened by something I saw in the Children's Room at the library. There was a whole table display for Transgender Visibility Day, but only four books were out on top of the bookshelves for Easter and Passover. 

This doesn't make sense. The percentage of families in our area who celebrate Easter and Passover is far greater than the percentage who celebrate Transgender Visibility Day. Plus, the Children's Room is for babies, toddlers, and children. They're too young for this confusion. This is not okay.