Meet Creekside's Spirit Animal

 

A group of Creekside owners proposed an idea for beautifying the 18-foot “tree stump” located in the grassy area behind the sign at the H Avenue entrance. The proposal was to commission a local chainsaw wood-carver artist to carve sections of the stump in a manner that complements our natural environment.

The Chairs of the Landscape and Architecture Committees, two Board members, and a few interested owners met with artist George Kenny at the site to consider options. The result is the amazing sculpture shown above.  You can visit George Kenny's Chainsaw Carving School in Allyn, Washington near Hood Canal.  As an aside, Allyn is just a stone's throw from where I grew up.

To the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast, "Owl is viewed with deep respect because it possesses the sacred knowledge of our ancestors. Owl represents wisdom and intuition, and is associated with the moon and nighttime. Owl is a bridge between the physical and spiritual world."  Other sources tell us, "Owls symbolize inner wisdom, change, transformation, intuitive development, good luck, and self-actualization."  

Beyond the symbolism, we know how beautiful, captivating and mysterious these creatures are.  They are also important for maintaining balanced ecosystems.  No doubt, we can all find many reasons of our own to be enchanted by owls.  When you visit our new sculpture, see if it doesn't lift your spirits in some special way.

If you happen to be awake in the predawn hours, go out and turn towards the riparian woodland strips along the creek.  If you're lucky, you might hear our owls calling to each other.

dmw