From the Cookbook: Owl Cookies

A Wise Owl
A wise old owl
Sat in an oak.
The more he saw,
The less he spoke.
The less he spoke,
The more he heard.
Why can't we be like
That wise old bird?
~ Edward Hersey Richards
My mouth gets me into trouble. All the time. When I was little, my mother called me "frank." I thought I was being precocious. When my in-laws called me "opinionated," I thought I was just being honest. And on Sunday, when I offended that grown man at church after telling him what I really thought of his behavior, I thought I was being brave.
The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to "listen" to others, especially BEFORE we speak. For example, I have student right now who is testing me to my limits. This person is disrespectful, antagonistic, bull-headed, and sarcastic. Yep, a teacher's dream. I hoped I would warm up to them. I haven't. A few weeks ago, I arrived at my breaking point. I penned a stirring rant in my head that would force this student into humble submission after all the misery they have caused me this semester. I summoned my frankest and most opinionated and bluntest self for the delivery.
But then (uncharacteristically), I held back.
I don't know why, but I just couldn't do it. Instead, I decided to LISTEN to the student for a few days---and not just to their words, but to the "message" behind the words. I had to sift through heavy shovelings of attitude and sass, but at the bottom of the pile, I found an individual who was scared and lonely and insecure. They had come from a broken home, they didn't fit in, and they were starved for attention. I now realize that the hesitancy I felt in speaking to this person was God and a host of heavenly angels clamping my lips shut so that I would learn the virtues of listening FIRST and speaking last. This realization hasn't made my semester any easier, but it has made it more meaningful. When this student makes my day a trial, I can see it for what it is instead of what it is not.
As a nod to the wisdom of "listening" as the wise old owl did in the famous nursery rhyme, I have decided to share these adorable little owl cookies with you.

I started with a spiced sugar cookie dough like this one and then started to assemble my little creatures.

1. Start by cutting a circle of dough about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Next, create two small balls of dough for the eyes.
3. Press a chocolate chip with the bottom side up into the center of each of the eyeballs.
4. Take a whole almond, turn it on its side and press it between the eyeballs.
5. Finally, take a fork and gently press it twice into the bottom of the circle to create the impression of wings or feet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cookies are set (not brown).

I will be honest here: I think I would have preferred peanut butter cookie dough for the base. Without icing, the sugar cookie dough was just too blah. But holy moly are they cute!

What I suggest you do now is make a batch of these, take them to a neighbor, and then just "listen" to the compliments roll in . . . :)

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