It happened! . . . I have a family! It was not planned but then sometimes some of the very best things in life are a surprise! Charlotte had been laying eggs for weeks and then she just sat down and waited. I was not encouraged, after all, she had never been successful at hatching. They usually just rotted away. Then, on a very sunny hot morning it happened! The shells cracked open and there were three rather naked precious very yellow baby goslings. I am not sure I am the father but it doesn't matter because they will be MY family. We are all excited!
Charlotte was very clever to hide her eggs from evil predators like Renard Smythe known as "the fox". It has been a decade since we had any baby goslings. I and my flock have a new mission to protect and care for these babies. It takes a very dedicated compassionate flock to raise a gosling!
Our first long venture was to introduce our goslings to the Man With The Long Blue Apron. He was thrilled and immediately brought premium deluxe cracked corn to sprinkle at their feet. What a proud day!!!! Now we must surround them with love, support, and protection and teach them the ways of the riverbank. When it rains Charlotte tucks them under her wings ~ safe, dry, and warm ~ and we gather around Charlotte and sing.
Here is my song, to the tune of Home on the Range:
Oh, what a wonderful home
Where I am not alone,
Where my flock honk all day,
Where the water is clear,
Where we often see deer,
Where we swim and we splash as we play.
Chorus:
Home, home on the creek!
Where the ducks and geese often stay.
Where people are nice, sprinkling corn when there's ice,
Where we swim and we splash when we play!
When along through the years,
Wanting young goslings to be here
Like the gander who lives down the way,
I honk for some eggs and dance til the light,
Singing songs through the night
Where we swim and we splash when we play!
Home, home on the creek!
Where the ducks and geese often stay.
Where people are nice, sprinkling corn when there's ice,
Where we swim and we splash when we play!
Will you help me name these three precious goslings?
Until next time . . .
Naming geese, like naming other things is a difficult and daunting task. However, geese have easier times than humans for the following reasons. Geese do not have to pronounce their names in any language other than goose, which makes it easy for them to say. They also do not have to spell their names, or be humiliated by wretched nicknames in kindergarten. That being said, individual and unique names are optimal. The word "goose" in other languages is a good option. "Anser" is Latin, "Hanhi" is Finnish, "Ganso" is Galician, and "Gas" is Norwegian. A title is also good, such as "Dominus" in Latin, to make sure that the goose is considered special amongst other geese.
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