behindtheax

Canadian Geese

A few weekends ago we went snowboarding at a small hill not far from the city. It was a good time. Lots of fun but when I look back at it what I remember most was the Canadian Geese. As we were driving down this semi-country road we noticed several formations of them in the sky. Their formations were more like check marks than V’s but they seemed pretty purposeful in their flight pattern – all the formations seemed to be headed in the same direction.
I said to Greg, “don’t you think it is a little late for them to be migrating?”
And he responded with, “not only that they are all headed north?”

As we kept driving, I noticed this lovely, seemingly abandoned, stone bottom barn off the road a bit. The wooden part of the structure, above this grand foundation, had caved in on one side but the roof was still on and the huge door was wide open. The wood was the colour of charcoal and the snow that had drifted up against parts of the stone looked liked it had a fine thin crust to it. Just above this barn one of the check mark formations of geese had all stopped their wing movement as if on command and they just hovered in this deep January blue for a while. Their wings tilting very slightly back and forth as they steadied themselves. Then they began to land in the field just behind the barn. As we past the barn this large field finally came into view. It was a cornfield. The soft silk and kernels long gone but the tubular collars or stems were still yellow. However, they were all bent over and held down with snow but still very recognizable as corn. And between the rows of this trapped yellow there were hundreds and hundreds of geese just standing around like they were all waiting for some great leader to appear. Their sleek cheeks all held that slice of white between black and grey and I have to admit I found it a little pathetic to see them all standing there. You guys call this an exodus? What happened to Florida? You realize the Monarch butterflies are putting you guys to shame. You’ll never see them in a field of cold corn. Geez, first we lose our hockey night and now our geese won't migrate. Well, at least not these urban ones.

posted by mary j. @ 3:26 PM