Artwork Description
On one of my standard backroad routs, I’d decided to take a few extra minutes and go down New Reed St that runs parallel to the Mass Turnpike. Tufts Brook runs alongside that road and has always been a great spot for seeing waterfowl. The best part was, and still is that the road is rarely traveled unless they live on Reed St or Gilbert Rd. and there are only a few houses on either road. I have seen many Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, mergansers, both green and blue-winged teal black duck… not to mention beaver, fox, many deer and one sighting of a belted kingfisher. ‘On Guard’ was done to pay homage to one particular day when I thought I was going to see nothing. And then I spotted this particular goose on her nest. The nest was on top of what used to be a beaver lodge about 50 yards off the road. I had only guessed she was a female as I saw what I thought was the male circling the nest a short while later. I remember finding it comforting that so many cars drive by within sight of this un-named pond portion of Tufts Brook yet you’d hardly notice the busy turnpike only a short distance through the trees.
-Ryan Jacque
