r
84-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 18,1996
On Being a
Farm Wife
(and other
hazards) j
Joyce Bupp
Nice weather for ducks.
And geesd.
So I thought late one recent
evening, dragging my rubber bam
boot-clad feet through soggy,
knee-high grass enroute to the
pond. Darkness was rapidly
gathering, nudged by the thicken
ing cover of heavy, gray clouds
hanging overhead. A few droplets
of rain that had begun a bit earlier
were multiplying into a steady,
bone-chilling drizzle.
Forecast was for yet another
night of rain, which would turn the
cattle lots even muddier, low spots
in the Helds standing with yet
deeper puddles and the weeds tak
ing over the flower beds with the
speed of new Mexico’s wildfires
enveloping whole mountainsides
of brush and pines.
Ironic. If only we could share
with those devastated by wildfires
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our more-than-abundant moisture
which has kept the manure truck,
the complanter, the tillage equip
ment parked the equivalent of
equipment twiddling its thumbs
when it should be hard at work.
Yet, knowing but a few weeks can
stand between Swamp City and
Dust Bowl conditions. I’m hesit
ant to complain excessively about
the wealth of wet weather.
But, this journey to the pond in
the faltering remaining light was
not to dwell upon the costly delays
being created by the sogginess of
this year’s busiest time of the farm
year. Rather, it was to rejoice in
the annual event which makes the
pond a favorite destination of
spare moments in late spring and
early summer.
The Canada goose family was
back on the pond.
Four tiny goslings had hatched
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just days before, little brown and
yellow bodies bobbing along the
water between their fiercely pro
tective parents. But the parents, or
at least one of them, probably had
hatched at the pond and grown up
here, since they woe quite tame.
Just a day after the babies had
hatched, the goose couple had
brought them alongside the pier
where we waited anticipat
ing a handout.
Then, one day later, I glanced at
the pond from the house, saw the
goose pair gliding across the pond.
And the wide gap of water
between the two was empty. A
closer look with the binoculars
confirmed my dread.
The baby geese had disap
peared. Probably a fox, the same
sly one that has ripped off several
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nests of baby guineas over the
years and quite a few baby geese
as well.
I stood at the back door, binocu
lars in hand, and fought back an
urge to cry. When I relayed the
sad news to The Farmer, he
promptly headed to the pond, to
search for possible evidence to
confirm the loss. Not even a feath
er nor a speak of dusty-colored
gosling down could be found.
Maybe it was our own fault, I
reasoned. Maybe these “wild"
creatures were getting too tame. A
heavy-duty guilt trip.
Next morning, The Fanner n
arrived to help with chores.
“Hey Mom, are you missing
some geese?” he asked. “They’re
over at our place.”
The sunny morning became
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even brighter.
“We also have baby ducks,” he
added.
Now. on this drizzly, damp
evening, we spot the pair of geese
at the far side of the pond. In the
vague light, the pond’s surface
rippled by shimmering reflections,
it looks as though the goose pair
has babies sheltered between
them. Only two? Then, at the low
er edge, we spot another pair.
With four babies. Two goose fam
ilies! A duck paddles away in the
farthest comer, a tiny convoy of
bobbing bodies behind her as well.
Our pond runneth over. And
from the weedy edge of the water
next to the pier, a deep “kar
uumph” erupts.
Even the bullfrogs sound
pleased.
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