Sunday Thoughts from Still Waters Pond

Psalm 121:7-8

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— 

 he will watch over your life;

8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Comforting words from God's Word today...and how does that have anything to do with that goose?

Well...that male Canada Goose is performing his duty in the care and protection of his mate much like Psalm 121:7-8 says that God watches over His precious children...although of course God's care is perfect in every way, and He never slumbers nor leaves His post, whereas the goose may occasionally wander off or take a little nap...

Remember when I told you about a lot of goose activity HERE a couple of months ago?   Well, since then, things kind of calmed down and the larger group of geese sort of went on their way once the Sand Hill Cranes were actively nesting and then having their babies out in the middle of Still Waters Pond.   Although the geese continued to stop by and harass the cranes and honk at them until the cranes would flap their wings at them and send them away...it's been quite a circus out there.  

Then it seemed that just two geese were hanging around most of the time, and spending more and more time near the island and also standing out beside our street greeting people along the road like they were our mascots or something.

However, we have been noticing this lone Canada Goose coming and going by himself lately, oftentimes just standing in the yard along the shore of Still Waters Pond for a while, and then swimming off around in the little canal that goes around the island in the pond.  Today I got to thinking about that and wondering why he was suddenly alone so much, when mostly we would see him with another goose swimming around or standing in the yard together.  

Then a little light bulb popped on over my head...could it be that his lady love is sitting on a nest, and that is why he is out there alone?  So I grabbed my camera and took a little walk down through the woodsy path that leads to the area where I can observe the other end of the island, and sure enough, there was our goose, standing guard all alone in the water out beside that part of the island.  Although I could not see the other goose or her nest, I feel quite certain that she is over there sitting on a nest and this is her mate, standing guard. He reminded me of the guards at Buckingham Palace (although I've never been there in person).  They never look to the left or the right, but just stare straight ahead. They do not acknowledge your presence, but stand perfectly still and ready to protect the palace no matter what.  

That is exactly what this goose was doing. I know he had to have heard me crunching on the dry leaves and tromping through the bushes that lead down to the shore.  There's no doubt he could see me in his peripheral vision, but he stood there perfectly straight, never wavering in his position.  (However, if I came much closer or he thought me to be a threat...he would definitely have charged after me to scare me away. I wasn't about to put him to the test!)

I couldn't remember exactly what year/month it was that our last little batch of baby goslings made their appearance here on Still Waters Pond, so I looked up the post I wrote about it HERE, and sure enough it was around April 26, 2021 that they made their first appearance!  That leads me to believe that if this couple is on that same kind of schedule, we could be seeing new baby geese any time now! I'm also wondering if this is that same couple...it could well be, as they do tend to go back to the same nesting site or general area as before!

So we could be in for another exciting event here on Still Waters Pond any time now!  I thought you'd want to know this great news...so stay tuned for further developments!

Here's some further links to information about the gestation period of Canada Geese and their life habits.

"Typically, females incubate the eggs for 25-28 days while males patrol and defend the territory around the nest"  

Link to Florida Fish and Wildlife info on Canada Geese

Hope you have had a wonderful SONday!  Just in case you want to sing along with our choir as we sing "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms", here it is for you. And if you wish, you can stay for the sermon, from I Corinthians 1:26-31, "Celebrating Celebrities versus Being Useful to God".  

1 What a fellowship, what a joy divine,

leaning on the everlasting arms;

what a blessedness, what a peace is mine,

leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:

Leaning, leaning,

safe and secure from all alarms;

leaning, leaning,

leaning on the everlasting arms.

2 O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,

leaning on the everlasting arms;

O how bright the path grows from day to day,

leaning on the everlasting arms. [Refrain]

3 What have I to dread, what have I to fear,

leaning on the everlasting arms?

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,

leaning on the everlasting arms. [Refrain]

Deuteronomy 33:12 says:

“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him,

Who shelters him all the day long;

And he shall dwell between His shoulders.”

Amen! and Good night Friends!