This Is What I'm Talking About

THIS is what I was referring to in my last photography post:   the kind of encounter/photograph I live for. 

This little owl (only little in comparison to the burly GHO's I usually come upon) was sitting in a branch on a tree about twelve feet above the road.  Pretty much right out there in front of god and everybody.  And (s)he just sat and calmly posed for several minutes while I performed all kinds of gyrations inside my van, trying to get decent pictures through the windshield. When I inched the car forward and rolled down the passenger side window so I could get some shots NOT through the glass (and it's amazing how much clearer those shots turned out), she just tilted her head a little, quizzically, as if to say, "Whatcha doin'?"  and continued to show me all her best angles.

Our encounter lasted several minutes...in the end, she stayed and I drove away from her.  Totally geeked out and thanking the Universe all the way...