Owl Houses and To-Do Lists
A few years ago, I spotted an owl in our yard. Rather than hoot, it chirped. When I chirped back, it looked offended. (Wild creatures and feral cats tend to do that when I attempt to make conversation.)
Research told me that January-March was nesting season for eagle owls in South Florida. In fact, they would need some help.
I finally put up this owl house a few years after purchasing it along with a power drill. My dad knew how to use these tools, but this was a first for me. I wore safety goggles.
The experience taught me a few lessons: wear tighter goggles in the case that sawdust causes your eyes to itch. Have squirrel repellent handy. And crossing an item off a to-do list to help your area? It feels nice.
Other items are on the list, like planting tomatoes and researching companion plants. The goal is to do one task at a time when not writing. Then January resolutions can last well past the first month of 2026.
Note: On Medium, I wrote a masterpost for my favorite books in 2025. Feel free to read it here. My other Medium articles are below along with other publications.
Blog entry:
2025 Behind Us and 2026 Ahead: What’s in Our Control?
Medium:
Why Hazbin Hotel’s Second Season is Stressing Me Out
Three Picture Books About Christmas
The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur
The Ghost And Molly McGee Recap, Episode 10
Neil Gaiman, Alice Munro, and Marion Zimmer Bradley Analyzed in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Why The Goosebumps Christmas Collection Succeeded In Its Scares
Never Let Me Go 20 Years Later
‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Is Not For People With Religious Trauma
How Video Games Can Resist Fascism in 2026
Escapes, True Loves, And Miracles from The Princess Bride
The 90s Classic CASPER: Lighthearted Romp or Meditation on Grief?
Wayward Children’s Through Gates of Garnet and Gold Reminds Us How The Dead Don’t Rest