A Tale of Two Swans

Hi, my name is Odette, and I am a swan. My sister, Opal and I were born in the spring of 2021 on a farm in Cogan Station PA, where we grew up with our brothers and sisters through the summer. In the fall, the weather started to turn cold and our parents were chasing us off the pond, the usual practice in preparation for their next year’s mating season. Water was beginning to freeze over, so it was time for someone to find us a new home. Very early one December morning, we found ourselves being gathered up and placed in cardboard boxes for a car trip to York PA, where we met our new adopters. They only had a small car, so we had to be transferred into even smaller boxes for the long trip to our new home in Cary NC. Each time the car stopped we expected to have arrived, and reminded our drivers that we still there by tapping and scratching at the sides of our boxes, all ready to be released! At last, late in the evening we felt ourselves being lifted out and then, “hurrah” released from the boxes onto an expanse of pine straw. We could see water all around us but were unable to get to it due to the chaperon fence, very frustrating, but we were happy to rest awhile. At first light Opal succeeded in scrambling over the fence to the lake, and shortly afterwards, the fence was rolled back and we both enjoyed the opportunity to have a good wash and brush up in the lake, after our long journey, and met Pearl, the residents swan. Pearl bossed us around for a while before I got to know her, and accept that she was the boss. Opal unfortunately is still rather afraid of Pearl, but is now getting used to people, I hope that she will soon settle in to her new environment. We love to eat lettuce, well shredded carrot or cucumber, and sliced apple, in addition to the dry food provided each day by our many carers. Additional carers are always welcome, just contact our adopters Ann & Norman. Hello Searstone!