April (week 4)

SPRING

Part V

Charlie hadn’t visited for a few day when he suddenly popped up to surprise his best friends.

“Well there you are,” announced Gertie, with a sigh of relief. “We were beginning to worry.”

“Sorry I haven’t been around,” apologized Charlie. He had taken a short journey away from the pond, finding himself in unfamiliar waters. There were plenty of stories about his adventures to share with Gus and Gertie. But first he wanted to know if life on the pond had been peaceful in his absence. They assured him it had and their little island was still their tranquil retreat.

“Now, do tell us about your travels,” pleaded the pair of geese.

“It’s a big world out there,” Charlie declared. “I met two more goose families, a beaver, a pair of herons and a group of little people.”

“Little people,” whispered Gertie, “are my favourite kind of people. Do tell me where they are. I’d love to visit them.”

But as Charlie was about to elaborate he noticed something nearby, giving him cause for concern. A snapping turtle was making its way toward the island and Charlie knew that this stranger would find a goose egg particularly tasty. Their otter friend disappeared so suddenly beneath the water that Gus suspected there must be danger. The two geese stood tall ready to protect their eggs. They watched as Charlie surfaced next to the turtle, startling the poor creature. So frightened was he that he quickly drew his head into his shell, hoping the otter might mistake him for a rock.  

“Slow down there,” said Charlie, ironically, as he bobbed next to the turtle. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to say hello.”

The turtle peeked his head shyly from his shell blinking slowly, “I’m not looking for trouble,” he muttered. “I just want to sun myself and enjoy an afternoon snack.”

 “A snack? Not goose eggs, I hope,” called Gus from the island.

The turtle gave a nervous grin. “No, I’m too old for trouble. I was just hoping for some minnows and a few of those water lily shoots.”

Gertie, who had initially been suspicious, soon softened. “We do have plenty of those. If you promise you’ll do no harm, you’re welcome to stay.” 

Charlie grinned. “You’re among friends here,” he said, as he thought about the most excellent spring they were all enjoying.

And just like that, the snapping turtle—who introduced himself as Bib—became the newest resident on the pond. He napped in the sun on the dock, feasted on water lilies and minnows, and told long, repetitive stories about his youth.

Then, one night Gertie announced the goslings were about to arrive. And suddenly not everything was peaceful.

Just as the moon rose, a dark shadow glided across the pond. Gertie gave a sharp warning honk. Gus stirred and looked upward. It was an owl.

Charlie popped up from his nighttime swim, rubbing the water from his eyes. “Did you see that?”

“I saw it,” said Gus, shielding the nest with his body.

The owl circled once more, then perched on a branch nearby. “Hoo,” he called softly, “hoo lives here?”

“We do,” honked Gertie boldly. “And our goslings are about to hatch. We’d prefer you didn’t hunt here.”

The owl gazed down on them with his yellow eyes. “I’m not hunting,” he replied with a yawn. “I’m simply looking for a quiet perch to watch the stars. This pond seemed like a perfect spot.”

Gus chose his words carefully, “Well, you’re welcome here—if you promise not to swoop too low especially near our young ones.”

“I promise,” said the owl. “Now, let’s all enjoy this peaceful night.”

The moonlight flickered across the pond, and their new friend remained on his perch, his head shifting from side to side as he identified the constellations, to the delight of the pond dwellers. 

By morning, the goslings could be heard chirping, a sure sign to Gertie they would soon be pipping. And sure enough, one after another the five little ones had broken free of their eggs and the parents stood proudly as the little balls of fluff peeked from beneath their wings. Charlie grinned with delight, feeling somehow he had helped bring them into the world.

The very next day, the family swam from the island to the lawn to greet the blue house dwellers—from a distance of course.

Just then, there was a commotion, causing the family  to return to the water and drift slowly back to the safety of their island. From the path near the blue house came a group of neighbours—two adults and five giggling, curious little people in tow. The three boys running ahead of the group, Lincoln, Sawyer and Ewen, were laughing and teasing one another. The girls, Lillian and Nora, followed the group, taking time to investigate the garden and the bird houses.

“Oh look!” Nora squealed. “Baby geese!”

“Aren’t they the sweetest,” Lillian added, as the two girls hurried to catch up with the boys.

Gertie honked softly, and Gus gave a proud nod.

Charlie waved his paw from the water. “It’s the little people I told you about!”

The pond came alive with chatter and the laughter of the curious group of children crouched by the edge, tossing bits of soft grass to encourage the goslings to come closer.

Bib paddled over to see what the fuss was about, and even the owl, who would normally sleep all day, fluttered down to a lower branch to watch the joyful gathering.

So it was, on that glorious spring morning, that Gus and Gertie introduced their five goslings to the beautiful world around them—and to the friends who made their pond by the blue house, a perfect home.