The Resident Meteorologist

This owl is a charming example of functional garden art—part sculpture, part miniature weather station. What makes it particularly appealing is that its two oversized eyes are actually instruments for measuring the weather.

This little metal owl has been watching over our garden since the 1980s, moving from one planter to another as plants come and go. Equipped with a thermometer in one eye and a hygrometer in the other, he has spent nearly forty years keeping a close watch on the weather while doing absolutely nothing about it. He has witnessed droughts, heat waves, occasional downpours, and more than a few gardening disasters, all without offering a word of advice. The plants seem comfortable with his supervision, although his record for preventing their untimely deaths is less than impressive. Still, after four decades of faithful service, it seems unfair to replace him simply because he’s never accomplished anything.