Poor Pieta!

Remember reading about this little gosling?

Pieta as a gosling when we thought she was a he!

Yes, it was Pieta just over two years ago when she waddled her way into our lives and hearts! For two years she has been our early warning system, she has raised a gaggle of Egyptian geese, and has grazed in our gardens, searching for those 'dissels' that she loves so much. (We have also trekked through vacant gardens and stopped along the side of the roads to pull them out and take them home for her.) She has slowed traffic down by just standing in the road, and has chased bicycles and people that she doesn't know. She has walked almost daily to the sea for a swim and has made friends with Alfie and the cats!

Pieta all grown up!

And she has been safe in her little corner of the world.

Until just before Christmas.

Friends and Angels!

I realise that this is a day or two late, and I apologise profusely! But yesterday I went to a birthday lunch with my oldest and longest-loved friend!! (I am actually four days older than Cathy, so we have a four day window where I was a whole year older!!!) We met in February 1959, on my first day at my new school in Lusaka, and became firm friends. We rode together, spent weekends with each other, and got up to the sort of fun mischief that used to happen in those days..........no drugs or trouble, just fun!

1959 or 1960! Look how thin I was!!!

Anyway, on the way to their farm, I was actually pondering about the blog and what to write this week! (Genius doesn't come easily, and I put a lot of thought and planning into my witty and  thought provoking blogs!)
The countryside is still dry and looking really desperate now, many farmers have already ploughed with the hope that rain will follow, but the vines are turning the most beautiful shades of yellow and red.

So as I drove past small dams that are slowly drying up, I saw birds; herons and small water birds. We always notice birds, Rob and I love to 'bird-watch' wherever we go.
And that was my 'Eureka' moment!! A bird update!!

Read on:

Goosy Goosy Gander!

It seems just the other day when I wrote about Pieta and the excitement of the goslings struggling out of the eggs.

Newly hatched and tiny!

And now look at them!

Swimming lessons with mum standing by!

More Eggcitement on the Corner!

How many times have I begun a blog with the words...'this is not the blog that I had planned for today but life got in the way.....''?

Well, it's happened again!

Remember last month I mentioned that Pieta the goose had started laying eggs (and very tasty they were too)? Naturally they were not fertile, but Philip has geese at the nursery and they, too, were laying. The difference being that the nursery eggs were fertile, and plentiful! So he brought five eggs home and popped them under Pieta who happily sat, and sat, and sat!

Before the 'Summer Hut' was built.

Up until then we had had wonderful sunny weather, so much so, that Philip built a little 'summer hut' so Pieta was in the shade. Then the weather changed and the rain came lashing down! But Pieta was protected from the worst of it by her 'summer hut' and the roof that angled the rain away.

Eggcitement on the Corner!

Now, if you read the title this week, you will think that here is another food post! Yes and no! It's more about the circle of life and the changing of the seasons and growing up.........and a bit about food too. But it all ties in as you will see.

All grown up!

I have written many times about Pieta the goose who lives on the corner. She raised the orphaned Egyptian geese and keeps her garden clear of weeds (and intruders!) Every day we look for the special 'dissels' or thistles that she loves to eat and we give them to her as we walk past with Alfie. She has become so used to our gifts that she gets quite excited when we call her and she knows that we always have a treat for her. Sometimes she comes over to our gate and then I let her in to find her own treats that grow between the stones.

Pieta and me, weeding!

Angels On The Corner!

Remember Pieta the goose who lives on the corner? She is now a large lady and weighs quite a lot, as you see below!

Nicola hidden behind Pieta!

And she loves her 'pond' that Emma and Coert gave her.

Her private swimming pool!