Where Have All the Kids Gone…

At the Henry County Fair in Napoleon, Ohio, Jay and his cohorts, Marylou and Mart, had another break in their work day, which they discussed thusly:

JAY (foreground pony): “Anyone coming aboard back there, MaryLou? Mart?”

MARYLOU (in white): “Nary a child, Jay.”

MART (blond mane): “There are less and less riders this week.”

JAY: “Where in the world are they? Gets very boring just standing here.”

MARYLOU: “It’s the computers taking over the world.”

MART: “What are you babbling about now, girl?”

MARYLOU: “It’s the modern thing.”

JAY: “What is?”

MARYLOU: “Remember our grandparents telling us they didn’t know what the new generation was coming to? Then our parents said the same thing?”

MART: “Well, yes, but what are you getting at?”

JAY: “Yes. What, Marylou?”

MARYLOU: “It’s another change in the technology of the universe. Kids used to play baseball all Summer. Then they turned to clubs and gangs. Now…”

Jay: “Yes?”

MART: “What!?”

MARYLOU: “This generation is inside, home, or at their friends’ houses, playing computer games. Or walking around using only their thumbs to think — texting. The majority of them won’t be coming to the fair any more.”

JAY: “You really think so, Marylou?”

MART: “Wow! The world does keep changing, doesn’t it? It’s just like Grandpa and Dad said!”

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Credit:
Story and Photo from the personal and copyrighted collection of Barbara Anne Helberg

Goslings in the Spring

Since I wasn’t able to add positive proof of babies resulting from my fictional duck tale in “Oh, My Sher-ee” (posted December 24, 2014), I will share some positive proof of other baby water birds being born in May ’15 and raised in the Spring and Summer by giving you a look at the goslings I photographed and by relating the fascinating parental ritual of their growth.

Pairing up in the sparkle of an early evening.

 

The new little tykes are introduced to the water almost immediately.

This particular family seemed to have “an aunt” in attendance at the beginning, but as the goslings grew, she supposedly sought company elsewhere and wasn’t seen with the group again.

In the water, one parent takes the lead as the goslings trail in single file behind her, and the other parent follows at the rear of the procession. In the photo above, the goslings are having a little free swim time as the adults keep them closely guarded.

Three of the downy-feathered goslings and their devoted parents.

On land, the growing goslings are shown how to peck the grass for insects and other delights. While Mother demonstrates insect extraction, Father keeps a close watch on the camera and the human behind it! (That’s a Robin in the background who just happened to fly by when I clicked!)

An ever watchful parent with two of his goslings.

After Summer flood waters reached half way up to houses on the Maumee River bank near the bridge, the entire seven-member family took a swim in someone’s back yard, passing the neighbor’s dog in the process. The goslings nearly have gained their full maturity. It won’t be long before they are on their own.

Letting go…

In early Fall, I watched as the goslings’ parents took them for a swim under the bridge to the East side  and along the shoreline. Walking along the tree-lined river bank myself, I followed them to their destination, a near-shore area of ripe water plant growth not too much farther eastward. I knew the place and was able to get more photographs of the geese family from an undetected spot.

The parents patiently began nudging their offspring to leave them by circle-swimming. Three of the youngsters flew off, while the four in the picture above were a bit more reluctant to go. The parents, however, encouraged them by simply turning away and beginning to swim together back to the bridge. The goslings didn’t follow.

In the two photos above, amazingly, the parents returned to the bridge in the evening sunlight, passed under the structure to the West side, where the goslings had been birthed, and literally swam off together into the sunset, apparently to breed again another day.

It was a thrill to gain this personal perspective on the life of geese, and the poignant raising and releasing of a new family.

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Images Credit:
Photos from the personal and copyrighted collection of Barbara Anne Helberg