When LeRoy and I were dating we lived on the Meisch Farms northeast of La Porte City close to Jubilee.  We had a goose, grey and white gander, named Homer.  Homer ruled the farm with a firm honk, flap of his wings and a nasty bite if you didn't pay heed to his warning honk.  He also had a very frightening hiss.  When LeRoy would come over on a Sunday afternoon to visit as he drove in the yard with his 55 Ford he would be met by Homer and his flock.  LeRoy would have to jump out of his car on the passenger side, run to the house yard gate, slam it shut, Homer honking, feathers flying and lots of hissing, My mom would be at the back door with it open so LeRoy could make a dash for the door and up into the house with Homer hot on LeRoy's heels.  Mom could never catch Homer before he got in the back door, up the stairs into the kitchen chasing LeRoy until LeRoy would get behind my Dad sitting in his comfortable chair in the living room.  Homer would promptly sit at my dad's feet making his funny noises as if to tell Dad look I am protecting you.  If LeRoy would attempt to step out from behind the chair Homer would hiss loudly and threaten to bite LeRoy.  Dad would grab Homer by the neck or mom would get the broom and much to Homer's chagrin he would be chased back outside but not to let LeRoy win this round as when LeRoy went to leave Homer prefered to sit by the back tire of the care and peck at the valve stems on the tires.  LeRoy would get about half way home-he lived in the country between Rowley and Quasqueton and get a flat tire as he did not know that the goose had eaten the valve stems out of LeRoy's tires.  Homer also was good at eating small parts that Dad had put in a coffee can while he was working on one of the farm implements.  Dad had taken the combine apart to fix it and had all the parts lined up in the order they came off on a panal of the combine so he knew exactly how they would go back on after he got home from Waterloo to get the parts he needed.  Upon returning home from Waterloo (about a 45minute to 1 hour drive) he got under the combine to put the new part on and Homer had been very busy while dad was gone.  He ate most all of the small parts that dad had taken off the combine and was sitting by dad's feet making his funny noises as if to say see I did good.  Dad ended up going back to Waterloo to get more parts.  Homer met his end one day as he liked to chase cars into the farm yard and out.  He would grab ahold of the back tire and it threw him under the wheel.  He did not survive.  He is buried next to the barn in his favorite spot where he could watch all the comings and goings of the farm yard.