One tiny woman, One big bird

So owls are cute, but every time I see an owl or think about them I also think of my grandmom (aka Me Ma). Lucky me they're so popular right now!
My Me Ma was a diminutive woman, but from stories I gather that though she was somewhat prim, she was also creative, talented, intelligent, independent and incredibly strong.
I don' t remember her, or actually even know if I was there for this story, but my mom seems to have the same owl- association, and when owls are brought up, she tells us about one owl in particular.
This one was at the Nature Museum here in Charlotte. My mom and her mother (and maybe us kids?) went there one day, Me Ma looking quite proper in her yellow dress. This particular owl was so taken by her yellow dress, its eyes followed her everywhere, turning and craning its amazingly jointed owl neck to watch that Me Ma and her spectacular yellow dress.

Every time I see an image of an owl, I imagine my Me Ma, a woman I barely got to know, in her sunny yellow dress, holding the gaze of a wise old owl.

I've made some owls to go to the craft show this weekend, there are Meowls (catnip filled mini owls), Bow Wowls (tougher
versions with a squeeky toy for the pup) and My Pal Owls (larger stuffed owls for kids or to use as a pillow). Every owl I make, I pay homage to Me Ma, in my own quiet whisper.

(Iron owl paperweight from The Curiosity Shoppe. Pretty Little Things' corduroy pillow. Basket is filled with Meowls. For info on owls in North Carolina, visit the Raptor Center's website.)