The Barnyard Chronicles: Hopper the Goose

The sun peeks over the treetops near the farmyard slowly waking everyone up. Hopper ruffles his grey and white feathers, sprinkling tiny water droplets to the ground. Quickly, he runs from his sleeping spot near the barn as the dogs, Caesar and Cleo, run by playing in the cool morning air. Sara and Val, the goats, stand in the barn door stretching and yawning looking towards the farmer's hours. The chickens, one by one fly out of the chicken house and immediately start pecking the ground for goodies. One rooster lazily crows in the house, and the other stands in the yard and proudly fills his black feathered chest with air and lets out a loud crow welcoming another day.

Hopper watches as his world wake up, gray feathered guineas fly out of the treetops where they slept that night, and the big white turkeys jump from their roost in the yard. Hopper thinks he is the favorite in the yard since he is the only goose, and he honks loudly with indignation as the dogs run by him. He doesn't understand the need to run and jump on each other to welcome the day, or to crow for that matter when honking works just fine for him.

As he watches each of his friends start their day, Hopper walks around nibbling on grass and other things. They each have something that they do to start their day, but Hopper stays silent till he hears the farmer. A door slams and Hopper know this is the farmer. He fills his big white chest with air, raises his dark gray and black head, and honks with all his might. He hears her say, "Good Morning Hopper!" he is so proud she talked to him first. He watches as the farmer's children leave one by one to go to wherever kids go and then the farmer's husband leaves as well. Each one getting into a car and driving away. This is a signal that the farmer will soon be coming out to see him.

He is so happy when he sees her come around the corner of the house he honks and honks as she makes her way to the gate. Getting to the gate is important to him but the big white dogs are in the way and if Hopper goes near them, they slime him with the long strings of drool hanging from their mouths. So, Hopper stands back honking and watching as the dogs drool on the farmer. She tells everyone good morning and talks to everyone as she walks into the barn. Hopper waits as she asks everyone to go into their stalls. And she quickly shuts all the stall doors closing the goats and sheep in. Hopper knows this is a safe time to go into the barn, so he honks loudly and it echos in the barn. Cleo comes running at Hopper and chases him out of the barn, she wants to play but her play he thinks is not for him. He never will understand why she always does this to him, maybe she doesn't like his honking...

The farmer gives everyone their food in the barn, and the dogs get treats, though Hopper doesn't understand this either. The farmer walks down the hill and pours food into Hopper's bowl, this makes him happy, and he honks down the hill. After that she feeds the chickens, turkeys, guineas, and the other goats that don't live in the barn.

Hopper makes his way talking to each animal. Sometimes they talk back to him and sometimes they chase him. He isn't sure about this and wonders sometimes why they do. He isn't a lonely goose being the only one. He has Isabell the big white turkey and a black turkey who like to be with Hopper sometimes. When Isabell is in his yard, he protects her from everyone even the farmer; though, the farmer doesn't like this and sprays Hopper with the hose when he snaps at her.

Once a day the farmer dumps Hopper's pool and fills it with fresh clean water. This is the best part of the day and Hopper honks and honks. While the farmer does this, she sprays Hopper with the hose. Hopper feels like she is playing with him, and he enjoys it very much. The farmer talks to Hopper a lot, and he honks back at her telling her about his day.

After the pool is filled Hopper slowly slips into the cool water and splashes around. He dunks his head with his eyes open under the water, and then he splashes water onto his wings and back with his head and long neck, ruffling his feathers in the water. He loves the water and fresh water is the best. The farmer keeps buckets in the barn for Hopper too. Well, he thinks they are for him, but the goats get mad at him when he is playing in the buckets. He likes to carry rocks and play with them in the water as well as grass and other things. Maybe the goats do not like him and but him because of this, but he doesn't know.

Hopper spends the day collecting rocks and twigs to put by his food bowl and prowling around the barn looking for bugs and grass to eat. The dogs sleep most of the day moving so they are always sleeping close to everyone, the goats move around the pasture finding yummy plants to eat, the chickens chase each other. When the farmer leaves and comes home Hopper honks at her and she talks to him calling his name. As the sun is setting the farmer feeds everyone just like she did in the morning and Hopper again follows her around the yard. Since it is bedtime for everyone including Hopper, everyone finds their favorite places to spend the night. Hopper has one last dip in the pool to clean his nose and eyes and then makes his way to his sleeping spot to rest his weary body.

The big white dogs are awake and walking around the fence looking, sniffing the air, and sometimes barking. Hopper thinks Cleo and Caesar are weird and gross with their drool, but they always keep him and his friends safe from bad things. The chickens one by one perch in their house, the guineas fly into their tree, the goats settle in the barn, and Hopper tucks his head under his wing knowing he will be safe and sound with the farmer and the dogs keeping watch over him and his friends.