It's getting crowded on my Pond

Important decisions are being made. 

Should we fly South or should we fly North. 

Time to make decisions.

(They won't tell me).

Have a great weekend, dear friends. 

Gina 

Three's company

 

You remember Clyde ?

He's the one who lost his mate Lola recently. 

He was very sad and kept calling for her.  

I finally found a company who would send an Emden gosling.  

In the meantime Clyde began acting very strange.

Clyde is in full mating mode (red eyes) and is courting a Canadian Goose.

Two days ago, five little goslings dropped from the embankment and into the pond.

Clyde immediately took over. 

Clyde insists that he is the Father. 

Now the real Father has appeared.

 All parents watch over the little goslings.  

Will one of the goslings be all white?  

According to an article written in 1914, such a thing has happened.  

In the meantime my Auriculas are beginning to bloom.  

I have waited 2 years. 

Geraniums are ready to go outside. 

Spring has really come. 

Take care dear friends, 

Gina 

What are they saying?

They come every year.

Some stay all winter,  some make plans. 

Lola and Clyde have to stay...they can't fly.

They will get cracked corn every day.  They don't have to forage. 

Have a great week dear friends, 

Gina 

We have our Pond back

After more than two months of occupation by wild Canada Geese

We have our pond back.

Between eight and nine families would cruise the pond.

Looking like they are getting ready for  Machiavellian maneuvers.

Every few days a new family would appear.
And, they would stay.

When small, they look like little monsters.

It didn't take them very long to find Clyde and 
Lola's (our resident geese) feeding trough. 

Something their parents have never done. 

They didn't used to come to our pond. 
Every now and then a family would land on their maiden flight and almost immediately fly away again.

Back at the house.

Poppies are blooming and

Salpiglossis.

Salpiglossis in many colors.

More poppies.

the lowly Petunia

I'm glad the geese are gone.  They thought nothing of  marauding my flower beds during the night.  

Hollyhocks finding their own places.

All is quiet on the Pond.

Just the way I like it.  

Have a great week dear friends. 

Gina 

What is going on around here?

The word is out!

When we built our house 23 years ago,

the pond was here but not a single bird was in sight.

We thought that possibly something was wrong with the water.

After a few years wild ducks and wild geese would stop by when every other pond was frozen. 

Our pond is spring fed.  

For years the birds did not bring their young. 

So what is different this year?  

Did it take 23 years for the birds to feel save with us?  

What is wrong with this picture?  

There are too many parents. 

Salpiglossis and Iceland Poppies grow in my garden. 

Now is the time to bring poppies into the house. 
Be sure to singe their stems first.  
They will last a week in water.   

And inside the house,  a Cymbidium  orchid is getting a bath. 

Happy Sunday to you and yours,

Gina  

Wild Canada Geese

They're not going home

Wherever home is this time of year. 

Wild Canadian Geese 60 feet from our house.  

Every year bringing more.  Family units of 7 and more come in groups.  

They feel at ease at our pond placing their heads under their wings for a snooze in the sunshine.

Happy week to you all. 

Gina 

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/

This does not look like winter to me.

Even the Canadian Geese are confused 

Most of them have left to wherever Canadian Geese go in the winter.  
Only a small flock has decided to stay.  

It's supposed to look more like this by now. 

I'll pretend that last year's daisies are this year's snow.

In addition to our 3 domestic (white) Geese, there is, for the first time ever, an impostor. 

He thinks that he is a goose, and maybe he is.

Have you spotted him?  

Now you can see him. 
I wonder what kind of goose he is. 
Do you know? 


Have a great week my dear friends. 

Gina 

Where is the snow?

Snow from another December.

But not this year.

When are these guys going South?

Landed just five minutes ago. 

Do they know something we don't ?

Have a great remainder of the week my dear friends.

Gina 

My Geese walk on water.

I mean, they walk on frozen water.

There is a lot of chatter out there.

The cold and snow caught them by surprise. 

It was 2 degrees Fahrenheit (that is minus 16.67 Celsius) last night.

No wonder most of our pond is frozen. 

A small area, where the water comes from deep within, always stays open.  

Hansel, Clyde and Lola can't decide who they should befriend.

 By late afternoon, most of the ice will have melted.

All will be afloat again.  

Hope you're staying afloat.  

Gina 

Maiden Flight

Cautious Visitors

They fly overhead, circle the pond and the house. They categorize every person and every animal. If there are no strangers, they will land. Every year, parents bring their offspring. As soon as they learn how to fly they are introduced to our pond. They spend the day under the giant elm tree, in the shade. They never spend the night. There are raccoons waiting in the night. Geese are so smart.


Gina