In the game of duck-duck-goose, everyone sits in a circle. One kid (out of convention, let’s call this kid “it,) walks around the circle tapping everyone on the head saying, “Duck, duck, duck, duck. Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck,” until all the other kids start counting ceiling tiles or bricks on the wall or wondering what’s for lunch. Suddenly, the walking kid shouts “GOOSE!” and starts running! Whomever got goosed has to jump up and chase the it-kid. If they catch the it-kid before the it-kid gets to the goose spot, the it-kid is it again. If the goose can’t catch the it-kid, the goose becomes it. Simple enough.

I didn’t ever get bored enough to count anything or think about lunch because I was always busy (1) hoping I would get goosed so I could RUN! and (2) wondering why there were so many ducks but only one goose and (3) wondering why the goose got to be the chaser and not the ducks. After over four decades, I have, at long last, learned the answers!

1. I didn’t get to be goose enough. We should have played more running games.
2. There are lots of ducks because they are easier to keep.
3. Geese chase! Some people might call it being mean. I call it being goose-ish.

In duckling vs. gosling, Akiva stands up for the ducks.

Iris found two luna moths mating on a neighbor’s lawn.

We took them home to collect the eggs and watch their babies grow.