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Once In a Lifetime

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Two days after my Beloved Sassy transitioned, I decided to take my cameras to a park as my way to get back into a life not filled with extreme conditions. In doing so I was given a most privileged scene that at times took my breath away. In all the years I’ve been photographing Mother I never witnessed what I saw that day, a Mama Barred Owl with her two babies.

The babies were doing something called branch hopping, for they were yet unable to fly. This is their way of gaining strength so that when their wings are ready to fly they can. It was intense. At one point I could no longer watch for my heart literally was in my throat. The very last picture is one of the babies hanging on to branches where there was no other option but to let go and fall. Underneath that baby lay a jumbled pile of dead wood, not a soft landing by any means, and a real potential for harm to that baby. I could not watch that baby fall. After loosing Sassy my heart was just shattered and I was not about to take the chance of witnessing a potential tragedy.

Mama had brought a kill for her babies but first she had to eat too. Looking closely I saw the exhaustion on her face and in fact she looks like she is sleeping while she is eating. What an incredible experience I was given, one I will not ever forget.

Please do enjoy these images. I had to crank up my ISO quite a bit due to the lighting but to my surprise my frames came out a whole lot better then I thought they would. Most of my pictures have so many tree branches and leaves in the view that I with the limited knowledge I have in the editing department, have left untouched. I know there are ways to take out of pictures those things you don’t want in them but I’ve yet to learn that. These pictures were quite challenging to take for there was a lot of action and what with the conditions the forest presented I had to constantly find clear openings to get a clean shot. Many times I was unsuccessful but I would not quit until I could no longer watch that baby when he would fall. I am confident however, that the pictures I do present here to you will bring awe to the forefront.

 

©2023 AmyRose Photography ….. All rights reserved. 

76 thoughts on “Once In a Lifetime”

  1. Oh Amy, these images bring tears to my eyes. Truly you’ve captured a touch of heaven with these exquisite creatures hanging on to dear life. Those eyes! All that precious fragility before they learn to fly. Thank you for sharing these glorious images. And I’m so sorry to hear of Sassy’s passing. I’ve been thinking of you. Sending you lots of love and warm hugs my friend. xx

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    1. Miriam, I am so Grateful for your heartfelt comment. Thank you. Oh yes this experience was very emotional and yes it did bring to the forefront the fragility yet the power of life.

      Another thank you regarding Sassy. My Journey especially the last months of her life were explicitly intense. She gave me so many Gifts that honestly I probably will not be sharing here yet I will say this. I now understand how the Divine Energy flows and works with us when we have our Minds and Hearts fully focused on our lives. Bless you for the love and hugs. I “feel” them! So much love to you! xoxo

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      1. I had a feeling Amy that whatever was transpiring in your life had been intense. So many powerful life changing, heart opening moments. Embrace those gifts my friend. And thank you for the love as well. xx

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    1. I am so grateful for your openness, Colleen, for your goosebumps tell me you “felt” what I did. Yes yes yes these images are stunning and a true Gift from one Mother to another Mother. To have been given this experience as my heart was completely broken healed that heart in ways I am unable to explain. I was shown New Beginnings after experiencing the End of a Cycle with one who was absolutely loved. Bless you for the hugs. Sending you so much love!! xo

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      1. I felt your awe and wonder through the photos! I can imagine how magical this was in person. Maybe it was a special gift like you said. This is all part of the healing and making yourself whole once again. ❤️

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    1. Thank you, Angelina, regarding my Sassy. This family loved her for 19 years. She was a part of my Soul. And as for my editing skills …. there is always room for improvement. However thank you for the compliment. Much love to you! xo

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  10. sorry for your loss but what a magical reward to get these amazing shots! No need to take anything out, these are just perfect …. and I’m sure that baby is okay. Either it flapped it’s wings and set down in the right place or mother caught her in time.

    after 19 years you must have some amazing memories but the grief is deep … keep looking to nature for your healing 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Kate, for your condolences. I am so grateful for them. Sassy was a part of my Soul.

      The pictures I was referring to are those I have not edited (not seen here) that have a lot of branches and leaves in front of the owls. I’m pretty sure that baby owl is OK too, yet I just could not watch any longer. My heart was seriously pounding as it was watching watching watching.

      Mother is my Healer. She always has been. Between my gardens and the parks I frequent my healing is progressing. Bless you! Much love to you! xo

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  14. Amy, I’m sorry for your loss. These photos are exquisite and heavenly. What captures! It truly grows my interest and appreciation of these beloved creatures. I’ve always loved owls. I’ll be praying for comfort in your grief. 🙏🏻💕❤️

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    1. God bless you, Karla. Tears are in my eyes for you telling me you are praying for me. This loss is so deep. To love someone with all you’ve got, to know someone so completely and she you, and then to loose that someone, that is a high price we experience when we love unconditionally. I’m really having a difficult time and I am so grateful to you for praying for me.

      As for those owls, that Heavenly Gift I will not ever forget. It was as though Mother was saying to me there is always New Life, always. Have faith that this pain shall pass that carves deeply, and will be replaced with Great Joy. Sending you so much love!!! God bless you! (((HUGS)))!! xoxo

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      1. Sweet Amy, I will continue praying, my friend. I have experienced a loss like that and can’t imagine it in my life again. It’s so deep. I understand what a difficult time you must be having. It breaks my heart for you. It’s my pleasure to pray for you. I’m sending you much love and hugs. God bless you too! 💕💛❤️🙏🏻

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  15. These are absolutely beautiful Amy, Mother gave you a gift in your loss kind lady. To see the birth of something so profound, a mother and her young starting out in such a natural way. My heart goes out to you in both of your extremes my friend, it would have brought tears in sadness and delight watching life begin and end so closely together. But this is Mother hugging you Amy, as I am doing from here. Much love and light Amy, may they both be ever in your heart, as love shared will always be ❤️🙏

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    1. Yes, Mark, Mother outdid Herself that day for me. She showed me how Life goes on, and New Life is all around us even in those times we stand in the ashes of the death of a loved one. I knew that day if I did not begin to get back with my camera, I wouldn’t survive the pain that tore my soul and heart to shreds. I will not ever forget the Gift I was given on that day. Ever! To witness something like this is a very rare circumstance.

      Mother takes care of me in ways that most would not understand. You do, Mark. Thank you for the hugs and the love. Both I am so grateful for. (((HUGS)))!! xo

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      1. We have shared a path kind lady, and its understanding is a beauty beyond words. Big hugs returned Amy, for the new path ahead. But this one is after reaching that mountain top, the views you will understand differently, from that love you have found within. I’ll never forget watching a butterfly after it all…it was the most incredibly beautiful butterfly I had ever seen…simply because I was for the first time appreciating what it was, what it gave, and what it shared…and not rushing around for this and that and completely missing it. This view is now done with the love you have found within kind lady, and it changes everything because the lenses of this life are gone. Welcome home Amy! ❤️🙏

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      2. Oh yes, dear friend, when we slow down and begin to SEE, what we see is incredible. When we rush around so wrapped up in ourselves, the beauty that is right in front of our noses, we don’t even see. I’m glad you had that experience with the butterfly. Something like that will stay with you for the rest of your life. The wonder of it! xoxo

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    1. I am so grateful for your words, Jennie. Thank you. I also thank you for your condolences for someone I loved completely for 19 years. She was a Sacred Teacher and those Lessons she taught me I’m still unraveling in order to live them. Much love to you! xoxo

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  19. Wow Amy… you truly are connecting with the magic and sharing it! Thankyou so much! I suppose for every sadness life is shining in the hope to turn our focus on moving forward and trusting all is well as we must experience endings… AND new beginnings. Heal well dear Amy, much love and gratitude to you❤️💃🌈

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    1. Thank you, Barbara. Yes I am truly connected to magic that I am! And believe me I am so humbled and so grateful for that connection. I so appreciate your words of encouragement. Bless you, dear friend. Sending you so much love! xoxox

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    1. Thank YOU, Layla! This experience magical and divine, I will not ever forget! Ever! I did gain a glimpse of something we usually do not see and now that I have, the memory remains fresh and alive. Much love to you! xo

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  21. Love this! Thanks for capturing and sharing such great shots of sights we wouldn’t have seen otherwise ! Those should owlets are adorable, not to mention how much I love owls anyway! 😊🦉

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    1. You are so welcome, Mary. I was in the right place at the right time …. a Divine Appointment. This experience I will not ever forget for in seeing this again is quite the odds I won’t. Yes these owlets are adorable and it makes you realize just how hard these babies have to work just in order to fly. Everything in me wanted to help them. But, that is not how Nature does things. Much love to you!! xo

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    1. Yes, Scott, I was blessed and I KNOW it! The chances of me actually witnessing something like this are slim to none. Oh yes I did make the most of it until I could no longer take the suspense of that owlet hanging and ready to fall. That and the mosquitos had quite the feast with me. I was finding bites for about 2 weeks after I was in that park.

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      1. I’ve been having a heck of a time with my comments not showing on other blogs. I think I was flagged as spam. I didn’t see anything from you in my spam filter, so I don’t know what happened. I’m glad your comments came through this time. Hopefully it was a onetime glitch.

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  23. Thank you Amy for these beautiful and sensitive photos. I love how I get a real sense of the owls texture and fluffiness. Wooliness comes to mind too. The poses that you captured really communicated to me their vulnerability in “stepping out” testing flying. I see the mom does almost look like she’s sleeping while eating. I love that last photo.

    I’m sorry to hear your beloved Sassy transitioned. Love, Catherine

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    1. You are so very welcome, Catherine. Oh those babies still had downy feathers all over them and they were just so cute I wanted to hug them. Oh yes these owlets are very vulnerable at this age for they cannot fly and Mom can only be in one place at one time. My heart was literally in my throat watching them cling and fall and then catch another branch. That last photo I finally had to walk away before he let go for under him was a potential disaster.

      And I thank you from all of me for your condolences for my Sassy. She is an extraordinary Soul and she is sorely missed. Much love to you! xo

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  25. Pingback: Once In a Lifetime – lifestyle

    1. Thank you, Julie. And bless you for your condolences for our Sassy. Truly it was the most difficult loss for in that pain, my core wound came to the surface in order for me to see it, embrace it, love it, and begin the healing process. Sending you so much love to you!! (((HUGS)))!!! xoxo

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