Goosey Goosey Gander
Published by Goose – a Special Word, a Special Bird.
Ever since I came across a friend’s pet goose, (well, a gander, really), years and years ago, showing off his splendid wings and hissing at me like a cobra, I fell in love with geese.
The term ‘goose’ is female. ‘Gander’ is the term for a male.
They’re bad-tempered and belligerent hissy-fits! They make a better guard goose than any dog in creation!
When a goose (or gander) befriends you, it’ll be your best pal ever. And they are very vocal birds.
A vista of wild geese flying in fabulous formation is really a sight for sore eyes.
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The goose family also includes swans and ducks, but the family of the true goose is ‘Anserini’.
There are grey geese that include domestic geese and swan geese. There are white geese or ‘Chen’. There are ‘Branta’ – black geese, including the Canada goose.
Geese mate for life. They are only territorial in the nesting season, although popular belief says otherwise.
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Humans have coined phrases about the goose through the ages: phrase like ‘gooseberry’, ‘goosebumps’, ‘goosed’, ‘goose-step’, ‘goose-flesh’.
Then, of course, pantomime has provided us with ‘Mother Goose’ and the nursery rhyme with ‘Goosey Goosey Gander’.
And what about the old saying ‘Sauce for the Goose’? The Free Dictionary says the definition is:
“If a particular type of behaviour is acceptable for one person, it should also be acceptable for another person”
Mother Goose
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I’ve come across the enigmatic goose in many locations. And there have been stunning photographs taken.
Let me show you my ‘gorgeous goose’ photograph collection, taken in places near and far: by me, by my friend and by my partner - (thanks Dawn, thanks Dave).
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THE ‘GORGEOUS GOOSE’ COLLECTION
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If you want some great ‘Goosey’ footage, You Tube have lots!
‘Mother Goose Tends her 15 Eggs’ at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQBZzTXDVbo&NR=1&feature=fvwp
‘Geese Aggression’ at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD-6R5ScKu8&NR=1
‘Goose Whisperer’ at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73l1SPRACUs&feature=related
‘Goose attacks Grandma’ at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWMxAPz67OY&feature=more_related
and ‘Crazy Ass Goose’ at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OStX_wrWGg
HAPPY VIEWING!
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If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to read more of my articles, stories or poems, there are links to all my online writing on my webiste, Write Angles with Sheila at:
www.writeangleswithsheila.wordpress.com
And you can visit my blog, Writing for My Life, (a week-by-week diary of events and a fun look at my writing week) at:
http://sheilanewton.blogspot.com
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COMMENTS FOR THIS PIECE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED – ALWAYS!
Liked it
On April 20, 2011 at 6:21 am
Great pix. Endearing write-up about an endearing bird.
On April 22, 2011 at 5:17 pm
I enjoyed this. My only experiences with geese have not been positive, when I’ve wanted to get close they’ve objected!
On April 23, 2011 at 5:29 am
I loved reading this entertaining and informative article. Great photos too.
On August 9, 2011 at 10:50 am
Another good post
On December 11, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Fabulous pix and a great article
On December 19, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Great article. I have a fondness for geese. My aunt, a woman with downs syndrome, had a pet goose named Gertie. Gertie like to play fetch. We’d toss a tennis ball across the yard and she would half run-half fly across the yard to fetch it and bring it back for us to throw again. Silly goose. Great pictures too. I have a gaggle of Canadian geese that stop by every spring and fall for a few days. Love them.
On December 20, 2011 at 11:16 am
nice article, lovely pictures
On December 22, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Oh, A Bromley, what a lovely story about your Aunt and Gertie the goose. Thank you for sharing that with me. Lovely.
On January 5, 2012 at 12:21 pm
True indeed, this is the best article. Thanks for sharing the link while commenting on my article.
On January 12, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Thanks to my readers and followers for your support in 2011. Do have a happy 2012 – all of you.
On January 15, 2012 at 6:26 am
Nice photos
On January 18, 2012 at 6:34 pm
Splendid photography. Did you take these images?
On March 5, 2012 at 12:54 am
Enjoyed this. Loved the photos
On April 18, 2012 at 6:11 pm
As bad as a wee nippy sweety in Glasgow on a Saturday night Liked it Sheila cheers
On April 29, 2012 at 2:45 pm
wonderful! one christmas my Dad thought he would surprize my Mom and got her a goose for dinner a live one he put it in the bathtub when she saw it she screamed BL..dy murder
and she made him take it to the local zoo, we named it honky,
honky the Christmas goose after a song ^_^
On August 3, 2012 at 6:24 am
Great pictures…very cute:) Geese fly over our home all the time, love the flying formation and the sound.
Thanks, Sheilla for the share.
Wonderful article.
On September 10, 2012 at 8:53 am
Wonderful work. I really enjoyed reading this. The pictures are amazing. Thanks again!