In Honor of Fathers

Papa Goose Hissing At Me

Papa Goose Hissing At Me @ 2012 Bo Mackison

I meet this father goose every morning when I take a walk around a nearby pond. He snaps his mouth open and shut, hisses at me, occasionally spreads his wings and makes a false start towards me.

I now bring my hiking stick with me every morning. I tried shooshing him away, and walking (not) bravely towards him, but he would never let me pass, and I found myself turning around and taking a different route. But now I tap the hiking stick on the path in front of me, and papa goose along with mama goose and his babies, march off the trail, into the long grass, and eventually into the water.

When I first encountered the pair of geese a month ago, their babies were just bits of fluff. Now they are about three/quarters the size of their parents, though they seem to have no clue what to do about me and the other walkers on the trail. They do, however, know that they must scurry off the path and hide if a person walking a dog should happen by.

Maybe I should borrow a neighborhood dog as my walking companion!

On this Father’s Day, hope all the fathers out there are enjoying their day.

————-

Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is enjoying Fathers Day, too. The father of the house is grilling steaks for his kids (and me) — what a nice dad!