Triple trouble

I have mentioned geese a few times recently. Away back we had two geese, Charles and Diana who we had raised from goslings and played a very special part of our life for many years. We again had some here but circumstances resulted in them becoming very aggressive and so we had to give them away. They spent some years at a residence on the Starnberg Lake near Munich, the county with the most cabriolets & probably millionaires in Germany.

The sheep farmer who we visited recently had mentioned fleetingly he wanted to get rid of his geese after the fox had decimated his chicken flock and he was fed up. I had said I would take some but he didn't really believe me.

This evening I turned up unannounced and he was a bit taken aback but mainly because he didn't think I had meant it. Indeed his geese were destined for the slaughterhouse and he actually seemed pleased that a few would be going to a good home but quite rightly he did ask for a just price.

So after a beer or two, and with thunderstorms all around, I eventually left at about 11:00 pm and headed home. With the lightning flashing in the distance, I quickly unloaded the three Canadian geese into the horse stables not wanting to fight with trying to get them out, in the dark, of the large cardboard box and into my hastily made small "goose house".

The photo was taken as they looked around somewhat bewildered.

I am now in the doghouse with Angie, who although she loves all animals is less than pleased at having more work. At worst they will end up on a plate on 11th November, St. Martin's Day, traditionally the day for farmers to pay their rents and still for many, have a roast goose to celebrate the ex-roman soldier Martin being given away by the geese resulting in him becoming Bishop of Tours in 371 AD - he had been hiding in the geese shed as he didn't want to be made bishop.