Andrew perused the sky hoping for one last glimpse of the ghost-like snowy owl. He imagined her nesting in the arctic tundra. He knew she would spend her summer far north of the Arctic Circle, hunting lemmings and whatever else she could snatch with her sharp talons. He admired the faithfulness of the snowy, her relentless fight to survive and defend her nest despite the brutal realities of risk.

Vanessa Arpin