My House Quilt - Sleeping Owl Quilt Block

This Sleeping Owl block is part of my House Block Bee Quilt - a cheery quilt that hangs in my classroom.

I participated in the on-line House Block Bee with eleven other quilters. We were each assigned a month by our queen bee. Before the first of my assigned month, I mailed out fabrics to the others to be used to make a house block for me. I purchased the blue fabric for the sky and the green fabric for the grass. I sent each person a couple of owls and a couple of children to be included in their block. Then I looked through my stash and included scraps to be used for houses, trees, etc.  Each quilter could also add their own fabric, if they wished.  I ended up making three of the blocks for this quilt, and this is one of my blocks.  (It's interesting that my students could immediately pick out the blocks I made.) 

That Wise Old Owl
A wise old owl
   Sat on an oak.
The more he saw,
   The less he spoke.
The less he spoke,
   The more he heard.
Why can't we be
   Like that wise old bird?

- author unknown

 

We once had a tiny (about 6" tall) Northern Pygmy owl in our driveway.  He had caught a much larger bird and wasn't about to let something else have it.  He stayed right beside it in our driveway, guarding it protectively.  He was so much fun to watch.  I read here that, "Despite their small size, Northern Pygmy Owls are quite fierce, and will attack prey or drive off intruders several times their own size. One of these little owls can carry prey weighing up to 3 times its own weight." 

There's a beautiful picture book called Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, filled with lovely illustrations.  Check out the book from your local public library and share it with a child or just enjoy it yourself! 

Have you had an experience with an owl?  Inquiring minds want to know!   
 
You might also enjoy my previous blog post here.