Well I am not so sure about maiden, I am too long in the tooth for that olde title but today the frosty snap produced a wealth of chilly bucket ice disks and panes that this ‘young at heart’ enthusiast had to install around the goose field. Bonnie the head goose watched me with his usual thoughtful curiosity. He understands our wierd human ways and has always tagged along on gardening and building projects while Bumble screamed and honked. When Bumble tries to nip, Bonnie pecks him. If Cashew chases, Bonnie turns him away. He is the only goose I can actually hug…an official ‘Bonnie Hug’ as we call it. Bumble and Cashew find it annoying and cannot comprehend how human gets to interact with leader goose, but we have an understanding and like it that way.

The buckets recreated themselves and made for interesting ice bowls. The large goose water trays made panes of ice glass, and pools of water shone with white curles like layers of marble.

I like to give them a moment of glory, tomorrow they may be gone. The sun has its beauty but cannot always steal the show.