It is still wet and boggy outside; farm work is at a minimum right now with feeding the geese and harvesting of food for daily meals. I know that I shouldn’t be such a big moan but this is also mosquito, bot-fly and noseem time which adds to the difficulties of getting outside. That’s life…and sometimes it can be quite uncomfortable!! Anyway, needless to say, we are waiting for a spot of dry weather to get out there to mow.
Meanwhile, I have been looking after our Ol’ Grandfather Goosie; I am not sure how old he is but I am estimating 18 to 25 years. He has been with us right from the very start and that is the main reason why he is so special to us. He’s getting on a bit and is now blind in one eye; I think that geese can live to about 25 to 30 years…though some literature boasts of geese living for 100 years. His other eye is also giving problems (cataract) so it is hard for him to forage for food. He can see things like big kernels of corn or dog food but it is hard for him to keep up with the rest of the wily geese. These days, I find that he is eating dirt most of the time because of poor sight. A couple of months ago, I found him stuck in a hole, wedged between concrete blocks. It was a good thing that he honked faintly so that I found him…otherwise being stuck out in the sun all day…he would have eventually died of dehydration. Anyway, I have had to keep a close eye on him lately because he tends to lose weight rapidly; he is now getting his own dedicated food and from time to time, he requires “geriatric” admission for food and water.
Grandfather Goosie has just had a three day admission; he still has a great appetite and will chomp away until his crop looks like a pendulous appendage. He will be wormed today and we will let him out to forage during the day.
Let’s hope that Grandfather Goosie lives to 100 years old!! I will probably write more often since I am stuck indoors with the rains!!
