Quack, Quack, Quack!

My 5 little ducklings have grown up. I purchased them when they were a day old along with my 20 day old chickens. They were about the same size and all covered in fuzz. The only noticeable difference was that they had bills and not beaks. Oh, and they had been spray painted colors for Easter. Now they are grown up and the fuzz has been replaced by beautiful white feathers.

They grew up with the chickens so they acted like chickens, ate with the chickens and slept with the chickens to keep warm. They just increased in size much faster than the chicks and soon they were acting superior. They would let the chicks crawl up on their backs to sleep. Now it came time for the separation with the ducks going to our lake and the chickens staying in the coop.

I have spent weeks moving sand from what used to be a volleyball court to make a sandy beach area completely around the lake. Back and forth from the court to the lake, some 250 roundtrips with my tractor. Finally the beaches were done, now for some plants. How about a few reeds and some of those lilly of the nile. All carefully planted at the shoreline.

Now for the catch and release! Grab the ducks and throw them into the lake and watch them being happy and excited in their new home with all of that water. There was just one minor problem. These ducks didn't know a thing about swimming in water, just drinking it. I tossed the first one in and panic set in, as quickly as it could it was out of the water and running to the bushes to hide. The next four did exactly the same thing. So here is this beautiful lake with a floating island and here are my brave white lilly ducks cowarding under the bushes.

I let them be until a few hours later and they hadn't moved. One had dissappeared deep into one of my shrubs. Finally I took action and hearded the four into the water and I am sure they thought they would drown but alas they finally got it and began to swim. I found the other one crouching under a shrub and got it to the water so that now they were all together swimming and enjoying life.

By the next day the lake was theirs and so were the reeds and the lillies. They uprooted the plants, ate the roots and showed me they were now in charge. I am only good for the feed provided and nothing more. For all of the care and concern that I gave to my little ducklings this is my reward.

But then again, I get enjoyment out of seeing them happy and contented and well cared for. Is this how my Heavenly Father looks on me? I think so.

Good Times!

I've Been Away: There & Here!

So, I've been gone thither to Maui, to my chicken coop, to my lake, to my ducks, to my garden and I almost forgot, to work early in the mornings!

The "there" was Maui and the refreshing was great. Although it was an insurance convention of sorts, the meetings were short and sweet leaving much time for relaxation. Nothing much changes in Maui, it is the same everytime we go. Even those born on the Island seem to never change. Mitch the bartendar is still at the Grand Wailea as happy as ever. Most of the islanders we meet are happy, contented and just good people. I am sure they have their worries but they seem disconnected from mainlanders. I think they are brought up that way and they protect their way of life.

There is not a whole lot of interest in what we do over here. They say that we sure have a lot of problems. I love their simplicity, the sun rises and the sun sets and for everything else just "hang loose"!

But now I am back, tackling the day to day with the same sun rising and setting. Nothing has changed. There is nothing new under the sun. God knows! Same struggles, same new/old news, problems come and go, eat, drink and be merry.

Chicken pen is almost complete, ducks are in the lake with the fencing company coming on Monday to surround it with 6' of chainlink. I will beat those pesky coyotes to the punch. Planted reed bushes in the lake, ducks uprooted and ate them the same day. Now I have pesky ducks, bought them when they were a day old all spray painted different colors for Easter, now they are just big white ducks bent on destroying my hard work.

Gardens begin and gardens end. My beginning this year was the start of the end. The weather was great and warm and it was time to put those tomatoes, peppers and eggplant in. You know, the ones that I have been growing indoors since February. All placed nice and neatly with loving care, just before the desert hurricane hit. It sneaked up during the night and the wind began to blow and the huskies began to howl and were all in a row when coming over the hill was Sam McGee from Tennessee where the cotton blooms and blows....sorry I got caught up in a Robert Service poem.
Anyway the winds fed on my plants and when morning arrived the wind was gone taking a full belly of vegetable stock with it.

Tomorrow looks like a possibility. Clear, warm and promising. Have to buy those commercially grown tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Oh well, if I lose these at least there will not have been the love and nurturing that went into the last ones.

The plantation is coming together slowly but surely and soon it will be hot and the pool will be warm!

Good Times!