The strange old man in red with the belled reindeer led the ragtag party, weary and wet and bruised and smarting, deep into the north wood. Night had fallen by then, but so bright was the light shining from the crook of his staff that it chased all the shadows, and the snow sparkled likeContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 25”
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Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 24
If you had been in the air above the north wood outside Stane How in the last light of Christmas Eve, if you had been circling the wood on—let’s just say—a magical flying reindeer, what would have greeted your eyes would not have been a peaceful holiday tableau, with animals snuggling down for their longContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 24”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 23
Before the sun was up, Violet had Clive saddled even though her cold fingers fumbled with the girth strap in the weak lantern light, and snow was blowing into her eyes even under the stable awning. It calmed a bit as the sun came up, and for the first stretch of road, the going wasn’tContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 23”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 22
It was three days before Christmas, and after Violet and Bertie and their mother came back from church, they set to decorating the house for the holiday. Bertie went out to cut some greenery while the women got up into the attic and pulled down the special things. They already had the Advent candles setContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 22”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 21
Elsie had been asleep for a couple of days at that point. This was how it often was in the winter. She never slept straight through; she would drift in and out, waking up if something happened or she got hungry and then falling into dreams again for a few days, or a week orContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 21”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 20
After the conversation with Melinda, Armand decided to include the village perimeter in his nightly hunting rounds. If the foxes tried something, he at least hoped he could rouse the farm animals to alert the people in time. He hooted a deep sigh as he swooped around the sheep fold. It wasn’t that Melinda wasContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 20”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 19
Abigail had always liked hedgehogs, she didn’t know why. It might have been because she couldn’t eat them, due to their spiny armor, and thus was attracted to their unattainable deliciousness. But also, they were just so stinking cute: bumbling with their little beady black noses and eyes, goofy and loquacious, when they weren’t asleepContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 19”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 18
“Codger!” The lurcher was at it again. This time, he was chasing a hare across the field. It zigged and zagged and then headed hard toward the north wood. Violet left the linens she was hanging on the line–it was a sunny day, and warm for the season. “Codger!” She shouted again against the wind,Continue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 18”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 17
While the owls weren’t friendly as a rule with the village dogs, there was one dog they did speak to somewhat regularly, and that was the border collie, Sadie. Sadie wasn’t a hunting dog; or rather, all her hunting instincts had been softened and turned into collecting instincts. And so she had no interest inContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 17”
Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 16
When Armand and Abigail woke up the following evening, Elsie poked her head out of the nest above them and chirped, “Finally, sleepyheads! I’ve been waiting for hours for you to wake up.” “What is it, Elsie?” Abigail yawned, and Armand admired the way the sharp curve of her beak flashed in the last ofContinue reading “Advent Calendar Story (Owl in Winter): Day 16”
The Rookery 