A few years ago a friend and I were sitting at a picnic table near the riverwalk in Sauk City and noticed a French Talouse goose among a huge flock of Canadian geese. A woman sitting nearby gave us the lowdown: “That’s Norman, he gets along with everyone. He was dropped off here by, presumably his owner.” How sad.
I visit Norman whenever I get to Sauk City. I’m always hopeful that he makes it through our harsh Wisconsin winters along with his off -spring, Cliff and Canadian lady, Olivia. He usually waddles up the incline from the river to greet me and then, politely waits for his cohorts to get their fill of bread that I bring for them. Only then does he take the bread offered to him. Who’s a good boy!?! He always makes my day.
The image of Norman is a mixed media painting/drawing with oils, Prismacolor pastels and pencil.
—Jen Salt, Contributor
Jen Salt is an artist who lives in a place she calls “Crow’s Lair Cottage” – just outside of Spring Green where she’s lived for five and a half years. “The Wisconsin River was the draw to move here and I’ve never looked back, coming from a big city. This is home.”