What Do Geese Eat

Journal jottings . . .and more

PICAYUNE — Once again it’s time to do a quarterly clearing of my little notebook. This small journal resides in my fat purse, always ready to accept information I figure might evolve into 700-word Snippets columns. Sometimes, however, the ideas don’t do a thing but lie there on the page, inky and smeared, and I must eventually dispose of them.  First, I was interested to read that the beautiful new wife of England’s Prince William, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has recently inspired women the world over to return to “sheer, nude stockings.” Kate is tall and slim, a gorgeous young woman with fabulous legs. Her limbs would be lovely with no hosiery at all, but she apparently prefers a more polished look with her sheer stockings, inspiring admiring (mostly young) females to do the same. Reports from England say the sale of nude stockings is up 85 percent from last summer! All I can say is that it must not be as hot over there as it is here in the U.S. South. I have a whole drawer of (probably dry-rotted) hose, and that drawer is where they’ll remain till I pitch ‘em. Also of interest, at least to me, is that the Peabody Hotel in Memphis is advertising for an assistant Duck Master for their famous quackers. The job description says this person is charged with the responsibility of escorting the ducks down from the roof in the elevator each morning, depositing them in the lobby fountain, and then herding them back into the elevator each afternoon to return to their cozy abode up top there at the hotel. Now, there’s a job for some plucky soul. See, right now, we have 32 Canada geese on our little lake. They just appeared one day and, so far, they’re not bothering anybody much. Geese, however, are the greatest fertilizing agents ever. I don’t know what they find to eat over there on the bankside that causes them to be such prolific poopers, but they are some nasty birds. Maybe ducks are not as “foul.” Couldn’t resist. Once again it’s time to do a quarterly clearing of my little notebook. This small journal resides in my fat purse, always ready to accept information I figure might evolve into 700-word Snippets columns. Sometimes, however, the ideas don’t do a thing but lie there on the page, inky and smeared, and I must eventually dispose of them.

August 11, 2011 Iuka’s concert was the work of two brothers, Frank and Eddie Thomas, who keep trying to drag the rest of us toward a civilized society. Frank began the show behind the red door by saying the performance would be in memory of the late Bob Brown. Bob was a true gentleman who always went out of his way to make newcomers and outcasts feel welcome. Years ago, he was instrumental in saving the wee Carpenter Gothic church when the diocese had planned to move or demolish it.