Over the Easter weekend, Diem hosted an egg hunt in her yard. She was not the one responsible for hiding the eggs. Nor were the rabbits who routinely bounce around in her yard. None of them played the Easter Bunny. Who was responsible for the joyful surprise of hidden eggs in the garden? The Easter goose!
We last mentioned Gabby Goose in our tribute to Boss Crow earlier this year. You may recall Gabby is grounded by a broken wing. The target of would be bully geese, Gabby was one the beneficiaries of Boss’s Garden Patrol. It turns out that Gabby is a girl.
Gabby and Archie met around Valentine's Day. Whether by luck or by love, they have been inseparable since. Now Archie protects Gabby from the other geese that pick on her. Archie who is much larger and bolder than Gabby gets the other geese to chase him instead. He is quick, evasive, and mostly loud. It is a wonderful, and at times humorous, show of support for his life-time mate.
On Good Friday Gabby dug a small hole at the edge of the flower garden off the patio where she began building a nest. A somewhat odd place to put it. It soon became clear why she spent the day collecting and arranging so much material from the yard and its surroundings. She dropped her first egg that evening and gently covered it. Her second egg was delivered at noon Easter Sunday, and a third two days later. She has been busy building and arranging her nest while Archie stands guard. Each has a role as they work together building for a new tomorrow with their future family.
Why they chose a spot so close to humans is curious. During the particularly cold December, Diem supplemented the flock’s food stock with a supply of bird seed for waterfowl, always making certain Gabby had an opportunity to eat as much as she wanted. Her limited mobility likely left Gabby at the end of the buffet line out in the wild. She may have sensed this human still has her best interests at heart and will be an extra protector for her new brood.
There is awe and wonder when we see new life, whether in our own families or the extended families nature gives us. Spring is full of new life, literally springing forth before us. The hyacinth and tulips bloom, birds and animals return from their winter homes, and now, the miracle of new goslings.
We share this world with each other. We can choose to share it in harmony with nature and all creation. Every being is essential to an harmonious world, each integral in adding beauty and life to our surroundings. All of us on each are reliant on the services provided by each other.
Somewhere around you is an experience as full of wonder and awe as Diem is finding in her back yard. May you find the wonders each day brings to you and may you experience them to their fullest.
