Tuesday 28 April 2009

Lady In Waiting


In the goose shed, on a cosy hollow lined with straw and the softest down from her own breast, Buffy sits waiting, patient. This work requires dedication, stamina, self-sacrifice and a strange, dreamy calm. Day after day, night after night, for a whole moon-and-a-bit, Buffy sits on her precious eggs, leaving them only briefly to snatch a few mouthfuls of food and some water.


Angel stands guard outside the shed, silent and steady, until he spies a potential threat. Then there are shrieks of outrage and alarm as he chases danger away. I am clearly perceived as a threat, and so each morning when I open the goose shed, I place an empty watering can to draw Angel's wrath and protect my own legs from attack. Angel comes flying from the shed and mercilessly slays the watering can, before returning in triumph to Buffy to boast of his victory.


Apart from the ritual slaying of the watering can, I suspect Angel is feeling a little bored and neglected while Buffy is so focussed on her nest. Yet in a few weeks, hopefully there will be goslings to protect and teach and play with. Buffy's vigil will be over. It will be summer and life will be good.


In the meantime, Buffy sits and waits and dreams.

7 comments:

laoi gaul~williams said...

how lovely~almost a time of withdraw and contemplation for her.

mel said...

what a beautiful vignette...I can actually hear the outraged honking of Angel...

...wishing for a safe hatching...

~blessings~

aims said...

This is so incredibly special isn't it!

I love that he attacks the can. I can hardly wait to see pics of the goslings.

You are so lucky. You know that don't you?

Paul Rousselle said...

Ah, you managed to move the nest to the shed :)

Glad to hear things are ok with the twosome.

Reya Mellicker said...

I'm glad, after last year's tragedy, that they're going to hatch more goslings.

Funny about the ritual slaying of the watering can. Wow.

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to seeing the goslings :-)

Griffin said...

Angel is clearly taking over Buffy's role of Slayer while she is indisposed.

Tho' Angel the Watering-can Slayer doesn't quite have the same ring to it somehow!!

Cannot wait to see the nestlings... if you can get near enough without mum feeling her little ones are threatened.