Loving the outdoors

Swans leave people alone for the most part and are easy to have around. "The male might make you think he's going to come after you, but really, they are all just wing and fluff," says Jane. The swans can pretty much be left alone, too. "Mostly they graze on grass," John says. "I give them a little corn every day and occasionally some old lettuce." Other than feeding, the swans require little management.

Gus and other wildlife

The ponds and surrounding grounds attract wildlife, including Gus, an alligator who began sunning himself on an old dock on the large pond a few years ago. The Hemmers assume he wandered in after being released by a local resident that transported him from Florida as a pet. Wild boars, coots, deer, and blue Herons have also been spotted. "If you live in an area that is rapidly growing, the wildlife keeps getting squeezed in tighter spaces," Jane says. The local Department of Natural Resources has often called on the Hemmers to care for injured animals or young animals that have lost their mothers. Jane admits that releasing an animal back into the wild is not easy.

"When something comes to live with us, it generally has a home for life," she says wistfully. And what a beautiful home it is.