Friday, April 18, 2008

   day 4
No bread, just water for Ember today.

Today:
I walked over to give Ember some water. I ran out of bread yesterday. As said before, bread isn't the healthiest thing in the world for her to be eating so it's fine that she doesn't have any today. I worry about her not eating enough since there is no grass near her, but at the same time worry about the bread, even if it's only a little bit of bread, causing her to gain too much weight. I'll get some bread and if I think it's wise, I'll give her a little today. I'll update this paragraph if that happens.

Notes:
Fennel was nowhere to be seen. He could've been sleeping in the shade under one of the shrubs near the pond. It's privet property so I didn't go look. Ember won't let him anywhere near her so, being a first time father, he probably will roam away a little more. The large gander with the broken or spranged leg is Basil. I sat down near his pond and he limped over and ate a couple feet away. I'm very happy to see him again, I just wish the circumstances around him were better.
An organization note of everyone and the four ponds:
Ashford Ponds:
-Pond A: The left pond. Across the busy road. Last year was the nest site of the Spice Group. This year is the site Basil is at.
-Pond B: The right pond. Across the busy road. The Fire Group was seen there last year. This year pairs come and go.
Wellington Ponds:
-Pond C: The north pond. Near the busy road. Last year there was a few ducks. This year Fennel is frequently seen there.
-Pond D: The south pond. Next to my house. Last year the Spice Group and the Fire Group both frequented it, along with a Stone Group gosling. This year a pair comes and goes.

The Spice Group- named because all the goslings were named after spices
-Faust: founding gander
-Florcie: founding goose
--Tarragon: a daughter, has a white spot
--Sage: a daughter
--Poppy: a daughter
--Parsley: a son
--Fennel: a son, prime gander for this year's group
--Basil: a son, this one was a personal favorite

The Fire Group- named because all the goslings had fire related names
-Attila: founding gander
-Lilith: founding goose
--Ember: a daughter, prime goose for this year's group
--Ash: a daughter
--Cinder: a daughter
--Spark: a daughter
--Soot: a son, developed his patches so late that he was originally pegged as a female

The Stone Group- named because there was only one sign of a third group
--Mica (deceased): a few weeks younger than the other two groups, she was the only sign that there was a third group, she'd gotten separated and was adopted into the Spice Group, but she later got separated from them and died

About Basil:
-The first time I started doing research here, Basil was a little gosling. The Spice Group and little Mica, who was only a few days old at the time, came to Pond D. I tried to feed them but they were so wild that they didn't know what bread was. After just sitting there a couple hours, wondering how on Earth could geese not know what bread was, one of the largest of the goslings came over and tried some. Satisfied, I got up and went inside. I was looking through the spice rack a few minutes later to find seasoning for my food. I looked out the window and the geese with all the goslings were still there. I named the six older goslings after spices I'd pulled out. Mica ws named after the semi-precious rock that I absolutely loved to play with as a kid. Faust was named after a necromancer and Florcie was named after Florance, Italy.
The next time I fed the group, the large gosling I called "Basil" was starting to eat from my hand. I fed Fennel, Tarragon, and Mica by hand too, but not nearly as often as I did Basil. He was also the first one to eat from my hand.
Over the days and hours, the entire group started becoming more trusting of me. It was around this time that I met the Fire Group. Attila was named after Attila the Hun and Lilith was named after the Biblical demon. Both were very wild and their goslings never quite came around. They were also a very hot tempered group, which is why all the goslings have fire related names. Their names were as random as the Spice goslings' except for Soot's. Soot, had no face markings at a time when the darker head feathers were growing in. Basil had a lot of nasty run-ins with Attila and later Soot over bread when the two groups were together. When the groups napped, Attila and Lilith stayed awake. Whereas, Faust and Florcie both went to sleep because I was sitting not far from the group. Basil usually took his nap next to me. He was the first wild goose I touched. I bribed him with bread, and I usued to think that was the only reason why he stuck to me, until one day when he was a little older I ran out of bread. I ran out early because I was feeding the Fire Group too at Pond A. I went and took a seat between the two groups to keep them away from each other. They went in different direction to settle down for a nap. Basil left his group and took his nap near me. I showed him there was no food but he still did it. And he let me pet him without a bribe. After that, he'd jump in my lap if I did have food. Or he'd sneak around me and take it from my pockets. Then Mica disappeared and died as I left to go east for the summer. When I came back all the goslings had their adult feathers. Soot was a confirmed male and Basil was so big that I thought he was Faust. Well, right until he came over and started peeping at me. He looked like a gander, but he was still a gosling. He let me pet him. He didn't seem to like it as much as when he was fuzzy. He stole a full slice of bread and I forgot he was wild for a second and picked him up to get it back. It scared him, but he forgave me. I finished feeding him and his family before they left. It got colder and I didn't see them until recently. Well, I've seen Lilith, Attila, Fennel, Ember, and Basil. It was funny, I was across the street from Pond A and this gander just started honking at me. I thought he was honking at Fennel for being close to the road so I ignored it. I had just been there and the broken legged thing got in the water, so I didn't think much of him honking. But when I went back today and he limped over I knew it was Basil. I sometimes forget that the key with geese is never to approch them directly. They see that as a threat. I'm glad Basil's back. I just wish I could do something about his leg.

SGAH
FYWR
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Thursday, April 17, 2008

   day 3
I have to do this every day. -sigh- What did I get myself into? My ribs hurt from all the walking. I'll have to re-wrap them. Se la ve. Yes, Linden, this is real, lol. I'm surprised you found it fascinating. Most find it boring. Even I do sometimes and it's my own research.

Today:
My plan of action is going to be always go see Ember and Fennel while the kids are at school and the majority of people are at work. I got ready to go see Ember when my mom pulled in and said Ember looked really hungry. I brought the last slice of bread with me. I didn't see Fennel in the pond near the nest, but that's because he was grazing in someone's front yard. He was about thirty feet from the nest. I sat near the nest. Ember hissed at me. This is actually a very good thing. I want her to be protective of the nest, no matter who is near it. I tossed her a few peices of bread. One went down rough since the bread was not soaked first. A passerby asked about her eggs, I said there were five, although when she stood up there may've been six. I counted four but saw others. It was either number five and six or five and one since yesterday there was at least five. It was difficult with her shadow but it looked like two white and two off-white of the four I counted. If that's true, taken with the colors before, then there are at least six eggs. Ember was still having trouble with that one piece of bread, so I got her a dish of water. She drank at least five mouthfuls. The nest isn't near water at all, so that dish is all she'll have. I'm sure geese can go awhile without food and water because of their nesting habits. She was able to spit at the water bottle after her drink.

Notes:
Fennel is a lot calmer if you see Ember first. I saved him about half the slice. Bread isn't the best food for a goose and it's even worse when they're nesting. I can't have her getting too heavy or she'll crush the eggs in her attempt to be a good mother. This is the pair's first clutch so they don't know certain things like proper nest location, obviously, or how to maintain weight. Fennel is such a cutie. He looks like he really wants to be near Ember but she's just so moody. All ganders have to keep their distance when their goose is nesting, but since he's new at this he looks a little forelorn. There are also three pairs in my own pond. I'm fairly sure one is Attila and Lilith, the founders of the Fire Group, and Ember's parents. I stuck with papers so I didn't have time to check it out. There are also two pairs and a single in one of the nearby ponds. Privet property signs stopped me from seeing of one was my Basil, so I'll just have to go at a later time. The single with those two might be the female for the single gander in another privet pond. Since I wasn't close enough to see if it was a goose, I'm not sure. But the lone gander is alone because his leg is either sprained or broken. He limps horribly and won't use it when he swims. Other then that, he's a big healthy gander so should have a mate. I'm ninty percent sure he isn't Basil. Injuries can really change behavor though.

SGAH
FYWR
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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

   day 2
Just an own personal note. I'm documenting the geese because that's what Biologists do. Duh.

The pair is gander; Fennel (Faust & Florice AKA The Spice Group) and the goose; Ember (Attila & Lilith AKA The Fire Group). Ember is also known as "Ember Kitty" due to the purring noise she makes when she's happy.

April 15, 2008:
Ember lays eggs.

Today:
I went to feed Ember twice today. The first I was in the car. I pulled over and crouched about a foot and a half away. She stood up and came over for food. I counted five eggs; one was was and three were off-white. She sat back down before I clearly saw the other. There may be six eggs, but for now it's a confirmed five.
The second time I walked over. I stopped at the pond near the nest first. It's a good twenty feet from the nest. I gave half the slice to Fennel but without being able to see Ember he's becoming skittish. I sat about a foot away from Ember and fed her. Walking away, Fennel came up to me to get more food but I was out.

Side Notes:
A big problem with this is the location of the nest. It's on a small island surrounded by very active roads. The nearst pond is twenty feet away and that's where Fennel stays. The nearest source of food is about seven feet away. The area also is gardened and mowed by a company. People walk their dogs and small children by there.
Another problem, relating to location, is how public it is. This is a newer area and the geese are wild. The parents of the pair didn't know what bread was. Ember gave me the chance to hand feed her today but due to people I didn't. If they see me hand feeding the nesting goose they're going to try it. The only reason I have her eating from my hand, the only reason the gander is standing there watching, is because I worked with them when they were goslings. Ganders are a lot stronger and heavier than they look. If he feels Ember is threatened then he'll attack. She'll do the same. I don't mean to brag, but no one in this area can do what I can with this pair. It's dangerous to the pair, to the eggs, and to the person if they try. Fennel's brother, Basil, was sitting in my lap as a huge gander for crying out loud. He did that only with me. I'm going to have to come up with a way to let people understand that being able to get that close to Ember without being attacked and without causing her or Fennel distress isn't normal. I'd gladly help them get to a level like that, but no one ever wants to listen to common sense. It wasn't very hard getting their parents to warm up to me. A lot of patience, a lot of time, a lot of consistancy, and a lot of knowing when to back off.

SGAH
FYWR
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Monday, April 14, 2008

   gmfsjtr
Congratulate me on my common sense now and forever. It was a really rough week last week. And it's bleeding over into this week, but it's suddenly just going to get better either Wensday or Thursday. That's just how things work. Last week was rough because of the basement flooding among other things. The basement was a big one though. Huge fans that made me get no sleep for a night. I mean no sleep at all. This go down hill fast when I miss a full night. I missed every single paper deadline, along with homework deadlines. I usually blow homework off so it's not too bad. Lack of sleep coming off from a cold and cough means that my cough got even more violent. So violent, in fact, that I now have at least one cracked rib. My ribs have been aching for well over a week because of the coughing, but one night, either last Teusday or Wensday, it was so violent I was doubled over and couldn't breath. That's when the stress fracture happened. Of course, I didn't even say anything until Thursday, but when I did it was thought to be a fracture. I could barely keep up with the kids I was teaching, another thing that made the week extra hectic as I'm not a teacher and don't like kids. I have to teach again Wensday because I was such a hit. OH, Sweet Child O' Mine! I love this song! And then to top it all off, I had to go to IU for the Little 500 race. My week was just so everywhere. Even when I have time to work on these papers, I can't. It's like a sick mental block. I sit and write and write and then when I look it's all useless. So I have to start all over again. I'm shortening one to five pages instead of seven, narrowing the subject, and talking personally so I have zero research. I don't even want to think of the other. And the third I'm not doing at all. I'll just blow the top off the school with my presentation to make up for missing it. I can be very charismatic when I want to be. But it's really the cracked rib that gets me. When it became obvious that it was undoubtedly cracked, I said I need to wrap it. Everyone thought that was stupid. Well, my mom talked to people and they said that a doctor will just wrap it with an Ace Bandage and give some pills for pain. I can deal with pain, no problem. It's not fun, but it could be a lot worse. Common sense strikes again though. People should just listen to me on these sorts of things. Acting on instinct works wonders.

SGAH
FYWR
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Tuesday, April 8, 2008

   jtr
Haven't been here in a while. Well, actually I'm on here everyday to listen to the playlist but I haven't posted in a while. I caught a cold for the first time in about five years a little bit ago. It's over and done with except for the cough. Man, I'm coughing so much my side hurts. For some reason it reminds me of a boa constricter. Our house is also flooding. For some reason it's my fault and my job to clean it up. Both of my parents keep yelling at me to clean my room and the whole area, vacuum the water, and then find the leak. My room isn't even wet. I don't get how a crappy foundation and nature is my fault. I wasn't even here when they bought the house. I was still living back east trying to sell the other house. I'm moving out anyway so it doesn't matter. And that's pretty much it.

SGAH
FYWR
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Tuesday, April 1, 2008

   pagan new year
It's the Pagan New Year! Also known as April Fool's Day. I alway post first of the month, so here I am! I've been sick but I'm almost all the way better. My mother has the same thing and she's had it for a week or so. I guess I just heal fast. Well, I know I heal broken bones fast but that's something else. This place looks so empty. Okay, well, I was going to tell some of my great passed works on this wonderful day, me being a prankster of sorts, but I'm out of time. I got to go to Anthropology. See you around!

SGAH
FYWR
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Thursday, March 27, 2008

   rtjs
It really isn't easy being smart in today's classrooms. I use common sense more then anything and it still blows people's minds. It's really not as hard as people think. Just think, then speak. Everyone wants this class to be over because they hate it. I hate it because not only is it class and very very annoying, but I've come off as exceptionally brilliant so it's almost like I'm teaching too. Professor speaks, a couple people comment, then he asks me to explain or what I think. Then I'm always right and I add something else that he didn't even know. While I'll always say that I am a genius, I never ever act like it. I aim for average. It's all a big con to me. I want to be preceived as average by the professors and by the students. It keeps all the pressure off and really, grades and school don't matter in the real world, so I'll save my brain for that. Never have I aimed for average so hard only to come off brilliant. My only reasoning is that the other students must be exceptionally stupid. In the earlier days of my education I wondered what it would be like to be stupid. It would be this horrible bliss because you wouldn't know any better. You wouldn't have everyone breathing down your neck because nothing is expected of you. And every acheivement is celebrated no matter how small because it was never expected. When you're smart nothing is ever good enough. Why get a 'B' when you should get an 'A'. Why not an 'A+'? Everything is somehow frowned upon. It sucks.

SGAH
FYWR
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Sunday, March 23, 2008

   Happy Easter, everybody!

SGAH
FYWR
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Friday, March 21, 2008

Brillance isn't always fun.

SGAH
FYWR
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Thursday, March 20, 2008

   fggk
That sleepy smily needs to be bawling too. I'm so tired I feel like I'm dying. I stayed up until 3:00 working on my Communications paper. It's still not finished and I only got a few hours of restless sleep. My Millie dog had to go to the vet this morning but since my brother is "sick" I stayed to watch him. I really should finish this thing. I already have four pages but most of it is crap, so I have to dock, revise, and then finish the last paragraph and conclusion. Then do the works cited page and the assessment page. Then I need to write an eight minute speech, find pictures, and look up West Point records. Well, I'm hoping to get all that done by 14:00 so I can watch some TV and sleep when I get home from class at 21:00. Sleep and be happy, yeah, Bon Jovi.

SGAH
FYWR
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