Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Weather


This quaint arrangement greeted visitors to my parents' house last summer.

My mother, who is quite talented, painted that little sign there. She also paints scenes on old windows or tin coffee cans. She can pretty much make a work of art out of anything. This was probably some old piece of wood my father left lying around. Somehow it didn't end up in the wood-burning furnace.

She's also quite handy with plants and already has who knows how many things planted in her garden.

But what I really want to talk about is that goose there. That raincoat-wearing goose with the cockeyed hat.

As you may know, my mother's love for animals extends to the wild goose population. Although she has her own domesticated ducks and a beast goose named Gustav, the wild Canada geese also call her yard an all-you-can-eat buffet home.

A long time ago I was perusing the aisles at Wal-Mutant and saw this ceramic goose which came with a sun hat and rain gear. The idea is that you change the outfit according to the weather.

(It's sort of like a Barbie doll, except this is for grown-ups who like to play dress up with ceramic geese outdoors, and such people must be a dime a dozen around here if Wal-Mutant stocks so many. Frightening.)

Anyway.

This goose used to sit at the driveway entrance, so that anyone approaching would know what the weather was going to be based on the outfit of the goose. Of course you could also just glance out the window or listen to the forecast, but that's no fun now, is it?

13 comments:

Ann Marie said...

the fact that you used the phrase "USED TO" in reference to the Goose's place at the end of the drive way leads me to believe that the Goose is no longer at the end of the drive way letting everyone know what the weather is.. which leads me to ponder if it is the Goose's fault that the weather has been so out of sorts not that the Government is trying to cover up some big weather related issue.

I think I need a drink... it is too early in the morning for me to be thinking this way.

Mental P Mama said...

I now know what housewarming gift to bring your mom this Summer;)

Daryl said...

So .. how did the cat trip to the vet end up?

I got a shot of another sign she made ...I think I'll use it for a Sign Post post..

Caution/Lisa said...

Does she just dress up Gustav now?

Trisha said...

I had a "mini" goose like your mother's cement goose. I had it until it fell off the porch and tragically broke its cement neck off. They were not able to "rebuild" him so . . .*sigh* now I am goose-less!

Unknown said...

I think I should give Margaret to your mother. She's creating havoc here.

Can't wait for July and hot tub mania.

Pueblo girl said...

Doesn't the fact that you would need to be outside, IN THE WEATHER, in order to see the goose make it's weather predicting abilities a bit redundant?

Not to mention the fact that in a photo taken on a sunny day, that goose is wearing a raincoat and hat.

Breezeway said...

I'm with PG... plus I can barely get myself appropriately dressed in the mornings, much less dress a cement animal. Another of those cute ideas that were thought out by people with WAY more time on their hands than the rest of us!

Diane said...

That goose is precious! And so much more attractive than weathermen. And probably more accurate!

big hair envy said...

I would be MUCH more concerned about your mother if she began carrying geese (real OR cement) around in her purse...;)

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Oh! Yes, thank you, Pueblo Girl and Breezeway, for reminding me of the lost paragraph I intended for this post, which did include reference to the fact that on this particular day the sun was just as bright as could be, and the weather goose was not appropriately dressed.

The fact that the rain hat was cockeyed --on a sunny day-- pretty much says it all, and that is: "Nobody cares, so why should I bother?"

I'm pretty sure this should be a new bumper sticker for sale in Mathews. The first place I'll slap one is in my laundry closet.

AM-She used to have it at the end of the driveway, now it's at the end of the sidewalk. In theory fewer people see it. In actuality, more geese see it. Just sayin'.

MPM-Oh no.

Daryl-Vet said, "The cat has just had six kittens. She's bound not to feel good." Vet was right. Cat and kittens are healthy. The verdict is still out on the rest of us.

CF-She has not done that yet, but that's probably only because she hasn't thought of it. If you come here for Blog Fest, you can suggest it to her. She's liable to take you up on the suggestion.

Trisha-Horrors! Don't let CB Mother learn of this tragedy. If you'd like a new one, let me know. I can get you one cheap. It may or may not be wearing a cockeyed rain cap.

GJ-Margaret would fit right in around here. I've seen all the trouble she's causing out your way. Perhaps this year she is the one who scouts out Blog Fest before you get here? PJB got to come last year, maybe this year it's Margaret's turn.

PJand BW-Amen.

Diane-Except for this one particular day, the goose was/is pretty darn accurate.

BHE- Actually, we're more likely to see her toting a goose under her arm than a pocketbook.

Serenity now.

abb said...

:)

I am smiling!

foolery said...

Just my luck the coat would be filled with bees when I went to change his outfit.