When I read Willow’s prompt for #TankaTuesday, I was intrigued. She asked us to find an old photo that holds a memory and write a tanka about it, focusing on words that evoke the season.
Since I am scanning old photos, this prompt seemed to fall right onto the paper for me ;. This photo was taken in July 1969 at our lake cottage. That’s my mom standing there in the middle of the photo.
green trees in full leaf
against sun’s hissing hot blue
lakewater splashing
around our knees, mom eyeing
the bold goose among the ducks
I really wanted that focus on the goose and mom looking at it because geese are more aggressive than ducks, and I’m sure she was worried about the goose around all the children.
About the goose: I’m willing to hear arguments that it’s a duck, but I don’t think so. It’s neck is longer, it’s much bolder, and the beak is a different shape. You can see the goose in the last photo here, too.
Here are more photos from that day.
my brother feeding the duck
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That looks like a day of fun.
We had so much fun that day! From morning to night. Our friends were from out of town and camped out in a little camper on the lot next to our cottage.
I love how old photos bring back so many of those memories that we thought were buried.
Yes, so true. So many details come back!
A fun memory. I don’t have a lot of photos from when I was young.
Nostalgic sigh . . . You must be the little girl in the striped bathing suit? My mother would have been fretting about our falling ill from the goose poop in the water.
Haha, I’m sure I would have been fretting too if it was my kids in the water with the ducks! That little girl is a friend. I’m not in the pix.
It looks like a fun day. I like all the action in the photos. It’s good to know you had days like this.
My father loved to have people come to the lake. He was very social and really really loved the lake, so those were some of the best times.
💙
Looks like a lot of fun with the tame ducks.
Those are not tame ducks! They lived at the lake. There’s always been a raft of ducks on that lake. There is at least 1/3 of it that is swamp.
Tame enough to feed and hang around the beach with people.
LOL typical ducks living where people are around ;). They used to hang out more in the swampy areas. It wasn’t real usual for them to come calling like that.
A lovely use of the prompt
Thank you, Derrick!
Definitely a GOOSE! 🙂
Thank you!!!
Nice!
❤️❤️❤️
Oh for the guarding of the geese, LuAnne. Yours were brave.. when we show up at the waters edge, they flee! xx🙌🏽
Ha, I kept geese on our farm, they were a bolshie lot, the farmhand was terrified of them. The photos loaded first and I noted the era by the red top motor boat, such different days, fun days, a delightful read.
They are pretty scary. There was always at least one goose with the ducks to my memory. Also, that boat? My dad bought it secondhand (probably thirdhand) and it never had enough power. It was quite the lemon. He would pull me waterskiing and I would just get up out of the water and it would be so slow it was like I was walking on water at first.
What a fun photo! I can imagine how your mom felt about that goose!! The ducks look like they were in 7th heaven! 💖
Oh, I’m sure they were happy with the food! I think if I had been in my mother’s position I would have been scared for the kids, but I don’t remember any incidents with any geese at the lake. So I doubt the goose was like a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” hahaha.
What a great tanka! It really captures the kids splashing, blue summer sky, and the standoff between your mom and the goose. Yes, a goose. Whoever took these photos really had an eye for action — kids going every which way. And the flotilla waterfowl is great too. They remind me of where I grew up: domestic geese escaped to mate with mallards and Canada geese. And look at the varicolored progeny! Thanks for sharing the poem and photos.
Thank you! I think they are great pix too. Maybe my dad took them, not sure. Flotilla waterfowl hahaha. I did NOT know that geese and ducks can mate. Wow, that is very interesting.
Ooops! I meant
*Domestic ducks + mallards = mixture of colors
*Domestic geese + Canada geese = mixture of colors
LOL oh gotcha!!! That makes sense. I never had much science, though.
Isn’t it great when a prompt drops in your lap? And you’ve interpreted it so well. Also heartwarming you have these photos reminding you there were the diamond days amid the despair.
So well put, Gwen. Yes, the photos have been wonderful. It’s funny how often the family is smiling though and I am not. haha
Sending you a virtual hug.
Thank you! Here’s one for you, too!