Memoirous

  I’ve blogged here before about my friend Wally Bytnar or Grandfather Goose who tends the geese who lay on the rooftop at Weiss Hospital and have blogged here http://memoirouswrite.blogspot.com/2018/05/weezie-walk.html About the Incredible Journey that happens every spring when Wally calls upon Facebook followers to help him herd the mama and baby goslings down the parking ramp and down the block to the lake for their epic jump into the harbor waters at Montrose. Here is this year’s round up from a good friend and photographer and an excellent journalist herself, Chicago-native, Lyda Jackson. Today, I did an early morning 5 mile walk, but the most memorable walk today took place a little later. The destination was a mere 1/2 mile from my home. I accompanied some friends as they escorted a goose family, with 7-3 day old goslings to their new water home.   For the last 12 years, this has been a seasonal mission for my friend, Walter Bytnar aka "Grandfather Goose." Gees...

In a world filled with bad news stories, let me offer you something different: A story that will remind you of the circle of life—and resilience. For the past 4 years a goose couple have been making their nest on the rooftop of Weiss Hospital Parking Garage. This is not so unusual. Geese mate for life and have very good memories. If something has worked once they’ll come back to it. I have several friends who do urban gardening on the Weiss rooftop. The administrator for the program has a window that looks out onto the rooftop garden. She and Wally and Linda have gotten to know each other through the years. Wally is literally a goose whisperer. And, of course, the animals all love Wally because he feeds them. Often I’ll see him returning from Weiss with the most beautiful chicken eggs and Linda offers up produce from her garden starting   . . . soon, I hope. The geese remember Wally from previous years as he and Linda have helped the family get back down to the ...