shoo-ing of the flock festival

January 25th, 2007

Once again the return of spring will be marked by the migrations of the snow geese herds and the end of hibernation of the South End String Band. Huddled in the warmth of their dark shacks, the self described Philharmonic of the Nettle Fields will be ambulatory, or nearly so, in time to celebrate the 2nd Annual Shoo-ing of the Geese. The yearly event is an opportunity to welcome spring with the String Band as they create a cacaphonous noise that hurries the snow geese from the guano strewn deltas of the Stilly and Skagit to their summer retreats in the Arctic.

As Dr. Arnie Thologist, the Band’s resident expert on fowls great and small, pointed out, “Time to let the musk-ox wade through the droppings. If you thought the Valdez oil spill was a mess, take a hike onto Leque Island. You could grow Guinness record corn on the cleats of your boots.”

Notorious in the isolated nettle ravines as purveyors of their own brand of home-grown manure, The South End String Band will join forces once again with the Snow Goose Festival. Again, Dr. Thologist: “The Band sees this event as their civic duty. In their post-hibernative state they somehow believe the Shoo-ing of the Flocks will save the world from a bird flu pandemic. Sad, really, when birds of a feather think so much alike. I’ve stopped reasoning with them and learned to take their feather-based beliefs as unshakable. They’re simple musicians intent on playing as many songs about chickens and turkeys and jaybirds and cuckoos as they can. There seems to be some strange affinitity…..”

The South End String Birds will play at the Meadow Room of Four Springs Preserve Feb. 24th. Probably about 4 to 7. They’re not sure yet. A spokesman for the still somnambulant group stated that serious bird watchers might be forewarned that once the concert begins, bird sightings will be virtually impossible.

Entry Filed under: after the rapture (apocalypse then)