I’ve probably mentioned this before, but we know of at least four species of owls in the hollow. Off and on we hear Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls and Screech Owls. I once saw a Barn Owl in the barn. Several times at night I’ve seen big owls swoop down, but I am not sure what kind they were. My mother photographed this owl by our house in 2008, but I can’t tell what it is for sure, either.

Lately, there have been at least two Barred Owls talking in the woods every night, and probably more. Commonly called a “hoot owl” (as is the Great Horned Owl), this big owl makes a distinctive sound. This is how the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds (Eastern Region) puts it: “A loud barking hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo; hoo, hoo; hoo, hoo-aw! and a variety of other barking calls and screams.”

Well, at night, up behind the chicken house in the tall trees, there is a somewhat patient voice doing the “hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo; hoo, hoo; hoo, hoo-aw!” which is then answered by the “other barking calls and screams.” It finally dawned on me what might be going on: this is about the time of year for there to be young Barred Owls hatched out. Perhaps I am hearing the young ones learning how to talk – that would explain the odd calls and barks and hoots.

I recently purchased this 1912 postcard of Milton Masters. It grabbed my attention because Milton Masters once owned this hollow. He bought it as part of a rugged 300-acre parcel in 1927, land that became well known locally as the Masters Farm. He lived in the hollow for many years, building two houses (the first one burned down) and his barn here. I do not know what year he left Arkansas, but my understanding is that he continued to own the farm until his death in Ilinois in 1982.

The postcard shows Milton Wright Masters at the age of 15 in October 1912. This must have been a very significant year in his life as his father, George Washington Masters, had just died in August.

The newest residents of the hollow are Mr. Crowe (I call him Russell) and his many hens.

Checking the hen’s nests, I found a surprise visitor snacking on eggs. Decisively, I reached my hand into my pocket and pulled out my phone and called the Snake Extraction Service.

While the Black Rat Snake was busy swallowing eggs, an unhappy hen clucked up a storm, demanding use of the nest. With the arrival of the Snake Extraction Service, the snake made a hasty retreat.

Slowed by the four or five eggs in its stomach, this snake was no match for the quick, capable hands of the Snake Extraction Service.

Not only does the Snake Extraction Service capture snakes, it also relocates them.

With the startling news that Morel Mushrooms were already up in the area (a neighbor down the road found 49 this morning), we set out expectantly on a mushroom expedition. This is way early for Morels, but spring has come several weeks early this year.

And we found some interesting items, just no mushrooms. I like to think of the hollow as nearly pristine, but there are certainly signs of humans here and there. Today I found an object in the woods that the veteran mechanic that was mushroom hunting with me identified as the coil for an old one-cylinder engine, probably dating from the 1920s. It was up a distance on the side of the hill. Someone must have thrown it for it to get there.

We also stumbled upon the first two terrapins, or box turtles, I’ve seen out this year. One was still muddy from digging itself out of its winter burrow.

Photograph courtesy of Lori Davis of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

This 30+ year old tire is usually the reliable sort…