NEWS FLASH! Geese Employ Day Care and Crossing Guards!

Turns out there’s more to geese than the prodigious production of green, slimy poop. Who knew?

The road that leads to my house passes near a small pond with farm land across from it. Living on that pond is a fairly large gaggle of geese. What I’ve discovered is that, like their cousins the chickens, geese apparently feel the need to cross the road to get to the other side. I’ve been told the reason they venture away from their ponds is that geese need to eat rocks for digestion, but I’m thinking that’s just a nasty rumor, engaged by goose haters to besmirch goosely intelligence.

Whatever, whether you like geese or not, I can assure you, they are far from stupid. I mean, despite the fact that they spend an inordinate amount of time crossing asphalt, when was the last time you saw a goose splatted on the road?. You can’t remember can you? That’s because they rarely are. Like small, feathered OSHA-ites, they build safety into their environment. They make use of crossing guards to keep themselves safe during their travels.

I. Do. Not. Lie.

I was coming home one day and was stopped by a line of geese crossing the road in front of me. I waited patiently for them to cross, smiling at their general goofiness.

That’s when I first noticed the crossing guard goose.

A single goose stood at the center of the line, pacing back and forth as the other geese crossed. As the line neared its end, the guard goose flapped its wings and did a cocky, self important strut off the road, staying pretty much even with the last three geese in the line.

Like a school crossing guard.

I tucked this amazing phenomenon away with the other tidbits I knew about geese: that they fly in a vee formation to increase speed and limit wind resistance, switching the on-point spot frequently to rest the wings of the lead bird; and that they utilize day care to ensure their mush-brained youngsters don’t wander away and get splatted; thereby completely blowing my entire example to prove how smart geese are.

I appreciate that.

No really, goose day care does exist. I saw it with my own eyes.

One day, when the winged rock connoisseurs were again across the road in their favorite field, apparently eating rocks, though I continue to harbor doubt on that issue. I cast my gaze over the gaggle, looking for the tiny goslings I’d seen a couple of weeks earlier.

They weren’t so tiny anymore.

I found them a little ways away from the adults, looking suitably mush brained. One adult goose stood with them, at the front of the group, as if presenting the daily lesson at goose school.

This was the day care goose.

One would presume, though I don’t know for sure, that, as they do in vee formation, the day care goose is swapped out periodically, lest the unfortunate creature fling itself onto a large platter with stuffing and prunes in a desperate attempt to escape dunderhead duty.

There. I’ve done my job. Go forth and look brilliant. You are now armed with not one but two fascinating tidbits that probably nobody else knows. You’re welcome. I’m always pleased to share my vast knowledge of things that don’t matter a whit in the general scheme.

It’s pretty much how I roll!

Happy Reading, everybody!

Sam

Magic, Adventure, Love on the Run

 

Dire Wolves Foxed

by Sam Cheever

Available from Changling Press

Sinopa Breckenridge is restless. Something is bubbling just under her skin, making her shiver and sweat at the same time. So she runs to Last Chance, Alaska to deal with it in private. But she doesn't count on Crevan Dakota. His very presence ruins any chance she has of taming the beast clawing for release under her skin. In fact, being with him is about to set the beast free.

To make things worse, shifters have been disappearing from Last Chance, and a killer is stalking Sin. When the situation starts to heat up, it's gonna take every resource the two of them can muster to keep Sin alive!

Excerpt:

She closed her eyes, dropped her head back, and sighed with pleasure.

The scent of the ocean brought memories flooding back. Memories she’d thought were long forgotten. Memories from a much simpler time.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Sin’s eyes flew open and she turned toward the deep, slightly raspy voice.

The owner of the voice leaned against the railing a few feet away, his golden eyes sparking with good humor.

“What?”

He cocked his dark head, his grin widening. “You had the most beautiful smile on your face.”

Embarrassment brought heat to Sin’s face. “Oh. Yes. I was remembering my visits to Last Chance as a child.”

The gold eyes widened. “You lived here when you were young?”

She frowned. “How do you know I don’t live here now?”

He stood up and closed the distance between them, his stride long and loose. “Because I live here and I’m sure I would have noticed you before this.” He extended a large hand. “Name’s Crevan…Dakota.”

She clasped the offered hand and felt its extreme heat, the calluses on the long fingers. “I’m Sin…” When his eyes widened she laughed. “Sorry, Sinopa Breckenridge.”

“Ah. Audra.”

She blinked at him for a beat before realizing what he meant. “You knew my Granna?”

“I did, casually. She died a couple of years back didn’t she?” Something about the way the sexy gold gaze held hers told her he knew exactly when her granna had died. She got the impression not much escaped Crevan Dakota’s notice.

Sin nodded, noting the slight tightening of his jaw. Maybe he knew what had happened that night.

“My brothers and I used to play down by the creek. The area in front of her cabin had the widest beach, with the cleanest sand.”

Warmth slid through her at the memory. “It did, didn’t it? I remember that.”

“Some of the others who lived out there wouldn’t let us play in front of their properties, but Miss Audra never minded. In fact she used to bring us lemonade and cookies.” She watched pleasure slide through his sexy gold gaze at the memory.

“I always loved my time in that cabin.”

“So you’re moving back?”

The question shocked her. She wasn’t sure why. It shouldn’t have. “For a while, yes.” She guessed she was having trouble committing to the idea.

A bell started to jangle above their heads and she realized they were close to land.

Crevan’s gaze slipped over her again and grew speculative. She couldn’t shake the sense that he was seeing more than she wanted him to. After an uncomfortable moment he extended his hand again, this time engulfing hers in both of his. “Welcome back to Last Chance, Sin. Despite the name, it’s really a beginning rather than an ending.”

Her cheeks felt tight when she returned his smile.

“Mr. Dakota? We’ll be docking in a few minutes.”

Crevan turned to the man standing just inside the cabin door. The ferry boat captain was small and wiry, with bulging muscles and a weather reddened face.

“Thanks Steve.”

The captain inclined his head at Sin, giving her a look that made her shudder. “Ma’am.”

She glanced away, uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

Crevan lifted her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. Just a tender touch of warm lips that made the skin beneath his soft lips tingle and warm. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

She barely managed a nod as he turned away and sauntered toward the cabin. His stride was easy and sure despite the jerk and roll of a docking boat beneath his feet.

And as she watched those long legs, tight round buttocks, and broad shoulders disappear inside the cabin, the beast under her skin rose up and snapped its teeth, demanding release.

Sin groaned and swiped a hand over her clammy brow. She hoped she hadn’t made a huge mistake coming to Last Chance.

She strongly suspected that she might have.

_____________
 
Sam Cheever
 
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