Home Wrecker

After Netting

I confess it was I that was going to take the newly laid goose egg out of the newly made nest, but my Sweetie got to it first. I might add this new nest is in one of our Raised Beds. Ummmmmmmm, gee, make raised beds to keep geese out, ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm, what a concept that is. The last few mornings I shooed the geese out of this particular area, never thinking that were going to continue to nest. It was my Sweetie that came upon the EGG. As I sat resting near the koi pond he told me of this new event. I said rather quickly I would not have that. He sighed a sigh of remorse, but after planting his corn he picked the egg up and took it inside. I had recently placed netting around my two new Beech trees and had a partial roll left to take back to the outbuilding. HA, what a coincidence…there was just enough to thwart further egg intrusions. So I imagine some of you think I am mean. HA, many think I am anyway, I even got told so today, but back to the Geese. We have raised Geese here for almost 25 years; the first ones purchased were called Embden Geese. Over the years shades of Grey began to predominate. Most domestic geese are descended from the wild Greylag Goose, but the Chinese and African probably have Swan Goose ancestry. Four years ago I had a new flowerbed made, one that was not a raised bed. In it is lilies, irises, grasses and butterfly bushes all sorts of flowing kinds of flowers. It was three years ago a Mom G decided to nest. I gave in an allowed that to occur. All of the flowers were soon bedding, Alas and Alack! The next spring I had fence stakes placed around the area and used plastic netting. When it was obvious that the nesting rituals were over I took the netting down. I did this again this year; I just was not prepared for HER to try another area. As I begin to transplant the tomato plants from the cold frame the geese are totally squawking and telling the world what a mean person I am. Now do not forget I gave up my mint bed for one this year. No Mint Juleps for Derby Day, but the mint will return. The iris and other flowers only bloom once in a season. Then I remembered this nursery rhyme: Goosy Goosy Gander, where dost thou wander? Upstairs, downstairs, in my lady's chamber. The rhyme possibly refers to Oliver Cromwell and his Roundheads. The first line is a reference to "goose-stepping" Roundheads who would search houses for Royalists. Anyone who refused to accept Puritan ways was arrested and thrown in jail. GADS does this mean JAIL TIME for me? Before Netting