One of those friends who (who who)
I couldn’t resist – tacky humored title. You’ll get it shortly.
I hope you all have a friend like I do in Marilyn Frauenkron Bayer, of Houston, Minnesota. Marilyn and I served together on the board of the Minnesota Community Education Association many years ago when we were both in community education. We became fast friends and even when there are long breaks between conversations, we pick up right where we left off.
Houston Minnesota is also home of the International Owl Center – whooo knew, right? It’s an amazing place, made even more special by the people who give of their time and talents in taking care of these amazing animals. And it truly is international – there are folks who keep an eye on the owls via camera 24/7, from all over the world. Some of them made their way to Houston March 1-3 for a special owl festival.
I am one of those who made the drive south, and it was worth every mile. After meeting a couple from Sri Lanka and listening to a presentation (with live owls!) by a group from the Illinois Raptor Center, we walked the high school hallways filled with hundreds and hundreds of pictures of owl made by children from all over the world.
saw-whet owl
Barred Owl
Snowy Owl
just a small sampling of the amazing artwork submitted!
A short drive to the Owl Center led us to a speaker from Norway, who had the resident owls behind him looking on. The center is downtown and very nice, but this group has grand plans for a new, amazing facility that will house 28 owls and allow visitors incredible interactions with them.
Back to my friend Marilyn, I asked her to share her thoughts on the owls and owl center. She got involved with the International Owl Center and currently serves on the IOC Board of Directors, as well as on the IOC Capital Campaign Committee charged with raising the $17.3 million for the new building and walk-through aviaries.
“We are fortunate to have a number of species of owls frequent the woodlands surrounding our rural home in Southeastern Minnesota. From barred owls, with their distinctive “Who cooks for you?” call, to the much smaller screech owls, and my personal favorite, the tiny saw-whet owls - it is always a thrill to hear them calling. Even more exciting is when we actually catch a glimpse of them sitting in a nearby tree, or silently gliding by in the night.
The International Owl Center helps visitors better understand and appreciate these symbols of wisdom, intelligence and mystery. It gives people the chance, which we rarely ever get, to see these beautiful creatures up close; to look directly into their amazing eyes and be mesmerized by them looking right back at you. It brings an extraordinarily special connection to the natural world which we rarely experience. To have a part in helping others have such experiences is a gift.”
If you’re still looking for a staycation day trip, I urge you to make the trip to Houston, and along the way is the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Another excellent place for bird lovers (like me!) to visit.
A special thank you to Marilyn for spending the afternoon with me, even though she had coordinated all 100+ volunteers and should have been basking in her success with a cup of tea.