Look at these beauties! Appeared out of nowhere on the pond. I read up on domestic geese and I believe these to be African Geese.
One Saturday afternoon, I saw them in the pond among the other geese swimming SO fast, almost frantically! I told Steve they looked panicked. Constantly looking around and swimming close together. They were quite elegant in the water; two very large, very majestic geese.
Of course I wanted to meet them! So I went down to the water and called ’em. My moma would say, “Well Low ‘n’ Behold“….. they came right over! Ha Ha! I couldn’t believe it. We put out a little food, but at first they were too cautious to eat. Steve and I stepped back a little bit and then they began to eat. We stayed there a while with them as they investigated their environment. Where did they come from? Did someone come this afternoon and just dump them at the water? We wished that if someone had needed a place to donate them they would have come to us and given us some info on how to take care of them!
So they have stayed around the house primarily for a few weeks now. Getting to know them has been tons of fun. They of been a source of life around here. Of course yes, the “poop” is an inconvenience but they give joy that’s worth it. At least for me, I know Steve likes having them around but they do require clean-up (which he does most often). [Thank you baby! I really do appreciate all that you do so that I can enjoy all our Friends in The Yard!]
I feed them in the morning and in the evening, All Flock Feed. Their response to seeing me is LOUD! as they run, wings spread open as if they are ready for flight. Lacking control to turn they overshoot their mark and usually run right past me trying to slow down. They can not get off the ground for flight; Selfishly, I like that. Only attributing their lack of flight to their “domestic breed” but certainly not for lack of determination! In the Fall, all of our wild Canadian geese leave, after integrating with the other additional 30 or so that begin arriving in August. Every year we lose track of the family, they cover the yard eating and pooping everywhere. It can be a bit overwhelming. And just when you think it’s time to set off fireworks in the yard, they fly south! 🙂 I do still look at them in the yard or on the water and think “that is a a perfectly painted bird“. Now He has given us another perfectly painted bird to care for and I say “thank you Lord for the beauty of your world; you have given us a blessing every moment that we take in the creation of God rather than the inventions of man“.
For now Steve and I are trying to figure out how what is the best care for them. We have an anniversary trip planned in the Fall and we need to develop a plan to provide for them while we are on vacation (which is the greatest concern of caring for our Yard Friends). Please look at the pics and if there is anyone out there that cares for #africangeese, please let me know what we can do to better care for them!
I am thankful for the Lord’s provision for these new animals and I can’t help but to think that He had a purpose for their arrival both for them and for me!! If you need a reminder of His provision, I would encourage you to look around and allow God’s beautiful creation to bless you. For a laugh, a moment of remembrance or renewal! I would also encourage you in His words in red, Matthew 6:25-34.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Love Y’all!