Goose Gone

For those that don't know, I have four geese living in the Ukrainian village and they make for a tight knit little flock of which I am exceedingly fond.
A few years ago now , I bought two goose eggs from ebay and incubated both successfully in the garden shed. Over a period of two days both hatched with some difficulty, and although one grey gosling injured her ŵing during the hatching process both babies thrived.
I named them Winnie and Jo.
A year or so later Camilla arrived all the way from Kent . She was found abandoned  and was considered to be a rather large and ungainly duckling. Camilla , as it turned out grew into a beautiful Canada goose.
The only gander in the group was another waif. He was rather a sad character who had been bullied by a larger and more aggressive male in the back garden of a chap from a nearby town. He arrived sat quietly inside a sports bag and has remained a gentle little soul ever since.
I called him Russell.
The group of four are noisy but for geese, incredibly good natured birds.

Jo, vocal and distant again this morning

Last night Jo went missing, at locking up time . The three other geese stood quietly at the goose house door and called for her but there was no answer from the field or from the livery stables beyond. I searched the hedges and nettle patches for her, just in case she had made herself a nest, but I knew nesting time is now over.
I mooched for over an hour but there was no sign of her and I could feel my bottom lip quiver just a bit when I gave up the search.
I finally went to bed after midnight but couldn't settle so I put on my head touch marshalled Winnie and William ( George was asleep in bed) and went out on the field then down the lane  to look for her.
We walked a few hundred yards to the Felin, at the bottom of the little valley behind the cottage and from a good distance by the old Mill house , I could see two eyes reflecting one after another in the light of my torch from the tall grass at the side of the road.

I called and recieved a small honk back .
It was bleeding like the final scene of Lassie Come home .

I carried Jo all the way back to the field , and it was the first time she had let me touch her since she was a gosling. She sat still and well behaved tucked firmly up underneath my arm
I've said it before and no doubt I will say it again......
But these animals will be the effin death of me




74 comments:

  1. daddy found his girl. good on ya.

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  2. Who was made happier by the homecoming, you or the bird?

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  3. Awww, that's a sweet story! I'm so glad that it had a happy ending. Jo is a lucky girl.

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  4. As much as geese terrify me; I'm glad you found Daddy's little gir.

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  5. Aww. About time you had a happy ending. I am so very glad for both you and for Jo.

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  7. Glad she's home again x

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  8. Yay! So glad that had a happy ending x

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  9. Anonymous10:52 am

    I must admit to being wary of geese - I make it a policy not to trust anything with a bad temper and a head at testicle height.
    Glad you managed to retrieve it though!

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  10. Lovely story with thankfully a happy ending. X

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  11. Finally a happy ending!
    Thank goodness.
    Well done , John.

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  12. Your life would make a great reality series.

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  13. So happy you found her! You are due happy endings. She just maybe wanted a walk about!

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  14. Ah she knew you'd find her. Hope she's safely home at lock up time tonight!!!

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  15. I wonder what made her wander off?

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    Replies
    1. Yes. I was thinking the same.

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    2. There is a fence down between my field and the stables behind me.. I think she just had a walk, got lost and wandered into the lane from under the stable gate

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    3. Oh poor thing. I am glad you came to her rescue! x

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  16. i have had many a late night walk tracking down escaped rabbits, there's just no point trying to sleep, is there? so glad you got her safe and sound

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  17. Anonymous12:45 pm

    I felt your relief all the way across the pond...and yes, animals will be the (bittersweet) death of us!

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  18. Happy ending thank god

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  19. I totally get it. You've given me an idea for a blog topic (we used to keep chickens and, briefly, two ridiculous Indian runner ducks). We have spent time calling for a cat and have released that same cat twice from locked up sheds. Animals have a part of our hearts and I'm not the least surprised you went out on a hunt until you found her. -Jenn

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  20. How interesting she eventually settled down and waited to be found by her friends.

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  21. You were sure busy last night John. Thanks for the email, i imagine you emailing while you searched for Jo the goose. Happy endings are nice.x

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    Replies
    1. I was in and out of that front door like a porn stars bottom

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    2. That is a wonderful reply. I would love to illustrate it with one of my drawings!

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  22. Phew! well done on finding her and bringing her home! Bless! xxx

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  23. The trouble is they know you love 'em John.

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  24. I love a happy ending. x

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  25. We count the birds every night before we shut them in and when one is missing- we worry all night. They generally show up in the morning but oh, yes, I know how you feel. And what a relief it is to see their feathery selves again, to know all is well.

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  26. You even got me with that one!

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  27. My heart was sinking as I read, so what a relief it turned out to be.
    The individual members of your menagerie will be the death of not only you, J.G., but some of us will more than likely be accompanying you.

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    Replies
    1. Raybeard I feel the same , that a full sinking feeling! So glad you went out and found Jo. Never a dull moment concerning your animals hey xxx

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    2. Leisha, J.G. writes so compellingly that one just has to read through to find out the conclusion - and in this case it's just as well that we did read right to the end.

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  28. I think Raybeard has articulated it perfectly!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, D. It always does my heart good to know that there are so many co-lovers of animals around.

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  29. We have had many geese in the past, that being my son's favorite fowl. Whenever one would go missing, we'd search till we found a trail of feathers. Coyotes make a swift kill, without much mess, and carry it all away. Bobcats, ditto, only they take it in the brush and cover the carcass up for later. Dogs make a terrible mess and only eat some of the carcass and leave it. When they've gone missing at our farm, they are gone. Good for you and your goose.

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  30. Whew! I'll bet you slept well after you finally went to bed.....dreaming of scared little honks and warm feathers!

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  31. oh good. always worrisome when one doesn't come home.

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  32. First I started to cry because I cannot deal with loss anymore, even a goose I never met. Now I am smiling while I weep for the sweet old Jo who should have known better but I am sure is very thankful to be back home with you and the rest of her family.
    So glad to know Goose Gone is Goose Home Again.

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  33. Oh that's a wonderful end to a worrying evening. My animals (worrying about and searching for them) will also kill me! xx

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    Replies
    1. A blogging goose? Now I have heard everything. I hope you said thank you to your master - Mr Gray.

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  34. Bless your loving heart! I expect she was mighty glad to see you!!

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  35. Sensible girl to sit herself down and wait for Dad ... she knew you'd come!!

    I couldn't have settled either knowing one of the family were missing, I've been known to prowl around the hillside in my dressing gown and wellies looking for various animals or fowl, that's one good thing about not having street lights round here :-)

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  36. Phew. I am so glad she found her way home.
    Lisa x

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  37. I am so relieved.

    I like the ending to your tale.

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  38. I'm glad you found her! Is she OK?

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    Replies
    1. Yes steve.......geese just sit when its dark.. So she found some grass and she sat

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    2. I do that too. It gets dark, I go sit down. Of course there is a book or a television nearby but this makes me feel quite goosey.

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    3. LOL! Another sitter here!

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  39. I share Raybeard's sentiments and I love how you love your animals and I love your big, kind heart!

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  40. So happy you found your gone girl.

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  41. Parenthood - sometimes not the joy it's cracked up to be. You go through the same emotions with any kind of 'children.'

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  42. Welshmen with torches on their heads used to mine coal. Now they're searching for geese in hedgerows. How times change.

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  43. I bet the other three were happy to have her home x

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  44. So relieved this had a happy ending, silly old girl.

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  45. So happy to hear "Gone Girl" is back home.

    cheers, parsnip

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  46. Oh, I laughed out loud!
    SO glad you found Jo....Loved the story....and a Happy Ending!
    hughugs

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  47. What in the world got into her?

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  48. AAAwwwwwwwhhhhh..xxx

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  49. Glad she is okay and yes, they just might kill you.

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  50. There are some great comments after this post!

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  51. I'm so glad she is fine after that adventure!

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  52. Am I the only one here who had to read this line: "It was bleeding like the final scene of Lassie Come home" a half a dozen times before I realized you did NOT mean it was the scene of a goose massacre?!

    SO RELIEVED you cannot imagine.

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  53. Goosie goosie gander, wither didst thou wander?

    Love,
    Janie

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  54. I think I have given up my idea to have a goose.
    I live in the country , it started sounding like a good idea.
    Now - not so much.
    I refuse to wear a miners hat with a lamp on it and go wandering around in the dark .. with or without music.

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  55. Oh thank goodness. Maybe we shouldn't have favourites, but if I was held to it geese would be it.

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  56. Anonymous11:02 pm

    I wonder why she wandered off and did not return. Ah, back reading, she just became lost.

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  57. Anonymous12:00 am

    I'm glad you found her alive and well.

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  58. I am glad you were able to find her. No doubt, she was glad, too.

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  59. It is always nice to know of others that care for creatures so much. Your post and these comments do my heart good.

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