This blog is taking a sick day again today. I've not been this sick in decades and can barely get out of bed without wanting to collapse. There was a point on Sunday morning where I was debating whether I should call 911 or Foster Faulkner Funeral Home, it was that bad. Evidently the flu bug is having a great big laugh at the fact that I had a flu shot this year.
However, before I return to bed to continue my sweat bath, I thought I'd share a brief story about these water fowl above.
One day about a week ago, I was working diligently at my computer, and when I say "working diligently" what I really mean is "wasting yet another day on the internet while all my chores go unattended."
All of a sudden, I heard my mother pounding on the door, screaming. "Chesapeake Bay Woman! Chesapeake Bay Woman!" she hollered as she knocked fast and furiously.
Oh, no, I thought. This is it. The big one. Somebody--probably my father--is seriously injured or worse. She sounded hysterical. Racing to the door, I prepared myself for the worst. When I opened the door, she spilled inside clutching a book and waving some binoculars. "Look! Look! Look at those geese in the creek."
"Those geese" were the very birds you see above, which are not usually seen in our creek. Rather, they're never seen in our creek. She had her bird manual out trying to identify exactly which sort of goose they were.
"Hurry up and get your camera! Quick!"
Relieved that nobody was dead, but unable to rise to her level of enthusiasm, I slowly plodded to get my camera. "Hurry up!! Hurry!" she repeated.
I wasn't even dressed for the day but was quickly escorted outside in 25 degree weather to take this and a few other pictures. In my robe. After just returning from the land of "Somebody's seriously injured or worse." It's not a quick and easy journey back from that place.
I'm not a water bird expert at all. Even my mother (who is one) could not identify which kind of geese these are. If she hadn't kept calling them geese, I'd have said they were swans. But of course I've been known to be wrong once or twice in my life, particularly with anything involving facts or details.
Here's a fact that is accurate: I'm going back to bed where I will be for at least another 24-48 hours, marinating in my own sweat and babbling deliriously from fever, which is only slightly different from my normal delirious babbling without a fever.
Stay well.
22 comments:
Perhaps that's what they are..swan geese! Lovely anyway.
What amazes me is that you can still babble ..humorously...while so sick! You are amazing! But I hope you do feel better soon! We worry about you. So glad you have family living close by!
Why, don't you remember? They are the offspring of Hans Christian Andersen's The (cygnet) Ugly Duckling who turns into a beautiful swan, and then marries Thumbelina.
If you aren't better by Tuesday, Ill ask my doctor what you should do....well, it's another new doctor. I go through them like water.
Poor baby! Feel better! Green tea with honey (or brandy)...
I am so sorry--maybe it's time to go to the doctor and get some Tamiflu. That stuff is good. Swear. I vote swan.
I think they're snow geese, but I'm not the expert. The expert is outside shoveling. Here's a pic:
http://frit.lss.wisc.edu/new_web/files/u3/snow_geese.jpg
I can't believe how similar our lives are. My husband used to do this to me, yelling, "quick come take a picture!" especially if it was a bird. Some people get all worked up over birds, don't they?
I laughed out loud at you in your robe, in your delirious state (I am so sorry about that, but it WAS funny).
I hope you feel better soon. We're having crazy snow here in Cecil County, MD. Crazy.
Hope you feel better soon.
I have 2 kids home with it.
Sucks
Annie - Swan geese sounds good to me, and babbling just comes naturally. Slowly but surely I'm improving, very slowly though.
GJ - Tell your doctor this: fever, severe chest congestion, hurts to cough, and then at its worst toss in sore throat, severe sinus pressure, headache, one short-lived episode of nausea/throwing up, profuse sweating, chills; inability to move except to reach for water. Everything from rib cage north hurt every time I'd breathe or move. Sounds like the flu to me. Naturally I've not gone to the doctor, that would be too logical.
Meg - I did take your advice on the green tea, and it helped my throat, that's for sure.
MPM - If no improvement by tomorrow I'll ask for some tamiflu, but I thought there was a small window of opportunity (as in within a certain # of hours after you come down with symptoms) that you had to take it. As if I'd know.
CG - Cecil County, MD, is sounding very, very familiar. I'm going to do a quick map search and get back to you, because I think you're near a place I used to visit frequently. Snow goose sounds right to me, and I know CB Mother would be happy to know for sure what they are.
Keeper - Thanks, and I'm sorry about your children. Sleep and plenty of fluids are about all you can do.
Hope everyone who had snow is able to enjoy it.
Dear Delirious,
I think Country Girl is right - they are Snow Geese. Though the one in the foreground looks like he's a bit mixed up about his identity.
I recall a flock of 15 to 20 that would "hang out" in Hills Bay (mouth of the Piankatank) during the winters when I was a kid. Likely they were drinking beer and otherwise up to no good. But, they didn't cause others much trouble so we let them stay.
Hope you're feeling better!
MMM - CB Mother will be pleased to hear what they are, I'm sure she's been stewing on that for days now. There was a flock of them this particular day, not just these two, and they lingered for the morning befor they took off for parts unknown.
Maybe they are descendants from the Hills Bay Clan, because I thought I saw a keg a karaoke machine floating on an inner tube in their midst, but as you say they didn't cause any harm and cleaned up their mess when the party was over.
Signed,
Delirious
Did I say snow geese - sorry, that's not what I meant. What I thought I was agreeing to was trumpeter swans.
Google "it" and I think you'll agree that they are swans.
Oops.
Okay, last time, I promise.
I decided to do a little research; always a good idea before, not after, you open your mouth or comment in a blog... And, here's what I found on the "Bay Daily" blog. The link is below.
"They’re tundra swans, the largest birds native to the Chesapeake region, with five-foot wing spans, snowy feathers and black beaks. They nest and raise their young in the frozen wastelands of Alaska and northern Canada. Then, every winter, they fly as much as 4,000 miles south – spending almost three months in the air. Their epic journey to Maryland and Virginia is one of the most beautiful things you can see and hear in the Chesapeake region's winters. But the swans are coming here less and less often, because water pollution and disease are destroying their food supply."
http://cbf.typepad.com/bay_daily/2009/02/the-fading-call-of-the-tundra-swan.html
And now I will saunter off without a feather in my cap and my tail between my legs.
Have a good evening everyone!
MMM - I find a mild degree of satisfaction in learning they are swans and not geese, but I promise I won't tell CB Mother, "I told you so."
Or rather, I'll try not to.
I'm so glad you got your camera! They are beautiful. I hope you get well soon, poor thing. The flu shot this year only covered type A, they chose the wrong strain for type B, so that's probably the one that found you. Wait it out, relax, and sift through your beautiful photos you've taken and the well all feel such joy seeing and know that we're anxiously awaiting more glimpses of your heavenly hometown.
Autumn- Thank you, and also thanks for explaining the flu thing because I'd hate to discourage anyone from getting a flu shot.
Waiting it out is indeed the best remedy.
Sounds like you're doing the only thing you can do...admitting defeat and crawling back into bed. Three of my 5 kids have had it now. The ones that did had it for as little as 2 days to as long as 10 and still counting. Although the worst of it only lasted four or five days.
Michelle - Goodness, that's a long time, especially with children. The worst of mine is hopefully over, but I'm here to tell you The Worst--even if it was half of a day--felt like years.
I hope your children recover soon.
if you would have mentioned a bad cough, Id send you in to make sure it isn't pneumonia. Bless your heart sweetie I wish I could bring you some soup. Your swan's are pretty but tell mam your too sick to go out in the cold in your robe. One or two days of this is all you can wait before getting to a doc. When you have fever and are sweating a lot your sick sick. You already know that so is this one of those I'm scared to death deals?
Feel better!!!! and great geese. lol
Anonymous Mathews Mother thought they were snow geese too, but allowed as to how she'd need to "check her book."
Anonymous Mathews Native has no idea what they are, doesn't have a book to check and if she did, is pretty sure she wouldn't be able to lay her hands on it. But, I can enjoy the pictures without being 100% sure what species they are.
"Tundra swans"? Really? "Snow geese" (or whatever) were one of the first things my family and I noticed upon moving to Mathews in the mid-80s. Throngs of them often hung out in and around the North River. Beautiful hooligans.
KD - Thank you so much...fever ended up breaking and started feeling better, but I will still take the soup! Wish you were closer.
Phyl - Thank you!
AMN - I sure do love your comments, and now I am loving that AM Mother is becoming involved. The fact that she had to "check her book" makes me think we might somehow all be related. Herding cows, herding cats, it's all the same thing. Only difference is there's no hairspray required to herd cats!
Anonymous Come-Here - Thank you so much for commenting and setting us straight that these aren't necessarily unusual birds for this area. I assumed they were migrating, that's because I don't get out much. They must prefer larger bodies of water, because we never see them in our creek. They really are beautiful.
Those right there are Gwans. They look a lot like Sweese, but don't be fooled. They are vastly superior to Sweese. Plus, smaller poops.
"Foster Faulkner Funeral Home, Putting the FUN in FUNeral since 1923"
Maybe they need a new slogan? I got a million of 'em, fer cheap.
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