Hank or Kukuvagia as I call him (owl in Greek) is my neighbor for the summer. He lives in a beautiful tipi he has made.  Hank has a special connection with owls. When I first met him he would speak to me of this and all the incredible experiences he has had with them throughout his lifetime.  An owl would come to him at very magical times to give him an important message. One day an owl even dropped an orange in front of him as a gift.

 

About a week after I met Hank, we were sitting with some others by the outdoor kitchen. A grey horn owl came and landed on the trees straight across from us, from a distance looking at us and coo cooing. Shortly after it left. Hank went back to his tipi and the rest to their place, and I remained  to cook up some dinner. When it was time to head back I began walking and this bat began to fly around me. I love bats so it was a delight. As I was getting closer to my tent I was hearing an owl coo cooing. Immediately I thought “that is coming from down where me and Hank are!” As I got closer I witnessed a most beautiful sight!

The owl and Hank were communicating, talking to each other. The owl would coocoo and then so would Hank and they would go back and forth. Not wanting to disturb I made my way very slowly and silently. When I reached the pond I decided not to walk up to my tent so I don’t interfere. It was a magical twenty minutes. I was gazing at the reflection of the trees in the water  and various bats flying around , listening to the occasional frog croak, and in the background  hearing this beautiful interaction. It was like a fairy tale. I had a big smile on his face.

 

When I proceeded back again I was being cautious. I wanted to go over to them but I refrained  unless I was properly invited. As I was getting back in the tent Hank came over and whispered to me to come over. I watched him in full excitement with what was happening. The owl was fully fascinated and curious. If we moved away it would follow us to a closer tree. At some points Hank used this incredibly beautiful flute to answer the owl back.  This went on for about an hour and a half. At one point the owl flew directly above us looking down and coo cooing. Finally we decided we should sleep.

(Hank talking to the owl).

 

The owl came back the next day. Not only that, but I watched as he would follow Hank wherever he went on the ten acre property. Since then the owl makes a point to show up a couple of times during the evening to visit Hank.  If he is not there the owl moves on.

 

Kukuvagia named him Leni after his grandfather.

 

Leni has changed Hank’s life as he says. He feels he has a very close ally and friend. Whenever he is feeling a bit down or unsettled Leni appears getting him right back on tract. Leni has affected how he feels in his day to day life and how he handles his life’s situations. “I feel like I am becoming more owl,” Kukuvagia said.

(Leni)

(Hank’s tipi)

These wings are from a day where Hank opened his door and there was this dead owl on his doorstep. These are the wings.

The flute