MommyCoddle

maggie, the duck

While there are many, many days when life on this farm isn't so glamourous, there are many, many more days when it can be downright magical.

The story of Maggie, the duck, is one of those magical things to me. Maggie arrived in our lives late last summer, when my husband showed up from work with a box of three baby ducklings. And I have to admit I was less than excited. I was borderline angry. I was pregnant, hot, exhausted and not in the mood to have a plastic tub of ducklings taking up space in my downstairs bathroom.

But quickly, my heart softened. It may have been that first day when we carried them upstairs in a box and gave them a swim in the bathtub. Watching their pure bliss and glee in water would soften the hardest of hearts.

Before long, we were moving them out doors and realizing we needed a bigger bath tub. Eventually they began to test their wings and realizing they could fly, took off on flight plans around the farm that got longer and wider and farther away with each passing day.

One day, we let them in on the secret we'd been hiding from them. That there was a cool, flowing stream just a short waddle away. But still they came home.

And then, as the cool fall days came, they left one by one and their flight plans took them away from our home.

This April, we were surprisingly and sadly reunited with one of our ducks. At first, we weren't sure she was ours, but when she wandered around the cats and dogs without a care, and perked up at my "duck-duck" call, I had a feeling she was one of ours. So we nursed her back to health, and one day she flew off again.

But this time, she kept coming back.

She'd show up each morning, each evening, sometimes in the afternoon. We'd hear her laughing quack in the yard and know she was out looking for food. She'd follow the girls around the yard, like a dog, right at their heels.

Eventually, she kept sticking around and would duck (no pun intended) into the big leafy hostas in the flower garden beside the steps and stay there all day.

I knew what she was doing.

And then, one day there was squealing and screaming from the yard. Maggie was wandering around with five of the tiniest, fluffiest, chubbiest little ducklings waddling along behind her.

Now, if you know about our animal kingdom, you also know we have a small population of barn cats that lounge around the place as well. So envisioning five fluffy ducklings in the mouths of five fluffy cats, I immediately put a cage over top of Maggie and her babies.

But after a day or two of being caged, I could tell Maggie was desperate to get out. I had to trust that she would protect them and I had to trust that our cats were smart enough not to bother these babies on my watch.

We let Maggie out and she made a beeline for the little stream that runs down by the chicken coop. And again, we witnessed the pure bliss of these ducks as they swam, nibbled on grass, chased after bugs and shoveled through dirt and algea on the bottom of the stream bank.

I knew letting them out was the right decision. But now I had no idea how I'd get them home. I decided to leave that stress to Dan when he got home from work that night.

But we didn't even need to worry. As we sat outside eating dinner, Maggie and her five little ducks came waddling back into the yard. One by one, she led them back into the garden and settled down in a shady spot under the hostas. And she sat calmly as we placed the cage over her and her babies, protecting them from whatever predators might be wandering around through the night.

And so, that has become our routine. We let them out in the morning. They wander among the dogs and cats and chickens, looking for some feed and a little water. And then they head to the stream where they swim and sun and nap the day away.

And then, come nightfall, Maggie brings them home. Where I can safely tuck them in for the night, knowing they'll be safe from harm.

It's magical, I tell you.

While there are many, many days when life on this farm isn't so glamourous, there are many, many more days when it can be downright magical.

One day, we let them in on the secret we'd been hiding from them. That there was a cool, flowing stream just a short waddle away. But still they came home.

And then, as the cool fall days came, they left one by one and their flight plans took them away from our home.

But this time, she kept coming back.

Eventually, she kept sticking around and would duck (no pun intended) into the big leafy hostas in the flower garden beside the steps and stay there all day.

I knew what she was doing.

And then, one day there was squealing and screaming from the yard. Maggie was wandering around with five of the tiniest, fluffiest, chubbiest little ducklings waddling along behind her.

I knew letting them out was the right decision. But now I had no idea how I'd get them home. I decided to leave that stress to Dan when he got home from work that night.

And then, come nightfall, Maggie brings them home. Where I can safely tuck them in for the night, knowing they'll be safe from harm.

It's magical, I tell you.

23 Comments

children and nature / family / home / life on thomas run

back to her old ways

Well HELLO back to all of you! Thank you so much for your wonderful response to my resolve to bring back letter-writing. And thank you for your kind words about my notecards. I have a lot printed, and if I can get my act together, I’ll try to put a few sets up in my shop. I’ll be sure to let you all know.

Your comments on that last post were so thoughtful and wonderful to read. I was really touched by them.

I also noted that there were several people in the comments looking for penpals for themselves or their children. If that is you, feel free to leave a comment on this post so that you can be in contact with each other. Since the comments are threaded, you can reply directly to each other and “team up”!

In the meantime, we’re hunkering down here at Thomas Run. Elizabeth is being treated for Lyme’s Disease after being pretty sick for the past two weeks. Our county is particularly rampant with Lyme’s. My pediatrician said he is seeing three to five cases per week. If you remember, Mary had it last year.

We are religious about checking the girls for ticks each night before bed because they spend so much time outside, down by the stream, in the tall grass. But somehow I guess we missed this. And in children it is more common for the disease to present itself without the typical bulls eye rash.

There were a few unsettling days there, but she’s slowly returning to her sweet self — you know, collecting eggs and breaking three of them before she even makes it to the kitchen.

Oh! I almost forgot…the winners!

Stefani and Katie please email me with your mailing address and I’ll put a set of cards in the mail to you!!

Your comments on that last post were so thoughtful and wonderful to read. I was really touched by them.

There were a few unsettling days there, but she’s slowly returning to her sweet self — you know, collecting eggs and breaking three of them before she even makes it to the kitchen.

Oh! I almost forgot…the winners!

Stefani and Katie please email me with your mailing address and I’ll put a set of cards in the mail to you!!

17 Comments

everything else / home / LIVING WELL

for the sake of a dying art

For the past few weeks, every time I open the mailbox, it's been a bit depressing. Bills. Junk mail. Offers to switch to faster internet and cheaper phones. More TV channels. And even a free hearing aide consultation. Twice, in the past two weeks, I've had days without ANY mail.

There is rarely, if ever, the personal note.

When we lived on my grandmother's farm, and shared the same mailbox, I was always struck that she received a personal note from someone almost daily. Sometimes even two or three in a day.

But if you knew my grandmother, you'd know that she impacted many, many people's lives. And oftentimes, people wrote her letters to tell her so. But the other thing about my grandmother is that you could always find her in the back living room, sitting at her desk, balancing her checkbook or writing personal letters.

She'd drop you a note, say hello, send a clipping from the newspaper, remember your birthday or anniversary. And people often returned her kindness.

Letter writing is a dying art. Can you imagine if just half of the personal emails you received in a day, showed up in your mailbox as note?

Though I'm still failing miserably at letter-writing, I am determined to carry my grandmother's torch and keep this meaningful and timeless form of communication alive and well in my family.

With this in mind, I decided that I wanted to create my own stationery, hoping it would inspire me to begin to write.

When it comes to stationery, I prefer notecards versus folded cards and these are very small–only about 3 inches by 5 inches. I'm not out to write a novel, but just a small note to say "hello, I'm thinking of you." They are printed on cover stock with kraft brown recycled envelopes to go with them.

Now all I need is a good pen. Kidding. (though I do have a thing about pens!)

I thought it would be nice, in the spirit of keeping this tradition alive and to inspire some of you to write a few notes, to give two sets away. Each set will include eight notecards and eight envelopes.

I toyed with the idea of putting a few up in my neglected etsy shop, since I have printed myself a lifetime's supply, but for today, until I get my act together, I'd love to giveaway two sets here. It's fun to giveaway some of my own work for a change.

Just leave your own 'hello' on this post….I'll pick two "winners" soon.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I would be remiss in writing this post without mentioning how I printed these cards. They were printed at home with my Epson R1900. It is a dream printer. The quality and true-ness to color, is remarkable. When my cards were coming out of the printer, I found myself running my hands over the designs, because they almost had the quality of a letterpress. The printer can print wide formats (13 inches) and long (up to 44 inches). You can even outfit it with a roll of paper to print panoramas. If you ever had any hopes of doing some serious designing and printing at home, or printing your own photographs in larger formats, scrapbooking pages, or other creative projects, this printer would be an amazing investment. And I can't wait to see all the great ideas we'll come up with to use it with homeschooling this year as well. I had to tell you, because I love it so! 🙂

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Happy Weekend, friends and happy old-fashioned letter writing.

For the past few weeks, every time I open the mailbox, it’s been a bit depressing. Bills. Junk mail. Offers to switch to faster internet and cheaper phones. More TV channels. And even a free hearing aide consultation. Twice, in the past two weeks, I’ve had days without ANY mail.

There is rarely, if ever, the personal note.

When we lived on my grandmother’s farm, and shared the same mailbox, I was always struck that she received a personal note from someone almost daily. Sometimes even two or three in a day.

But if you knew my grandmother, you’d know that she impacted many, many people’s lives. And oftentimes, people wrote her letters to tell her so. But the other thing about my grandmother is that you could always find her in the back living room, sitting at her desk, balancing her checkbook or writing personal letters.

She’d drop you a note, say hello, send a clipping from the newspaper, remember your birthday or anniversary. And people often returned her kindness.

Letter writing is a dying art. Can you imagine if just half of the personal emails you received in a day, showed up in your mailbox as note?

Though I’m still failing miserably at letter-writing, I am determined to carry my grandmother’s torch and keep this meaningful and timeless form of communication alive and well in my family.

With this in mind, I decided that I wanted to create my own stationery, hoping it would inspire me to begin to write.

When it comes to stationery, I prefer notecards versus folded cards and these are very small–only about 3 inches by 5 inches. I’m not out to write a novel, but just a small note to say “hello, I’m thinking of you.” They are printed on cover stock with kraft brown recycled envelopes to go with them.

Now all I need is a good pen. Kidding. (though I do have a thing about pens!)

Check the Ekocycle’s list to see the quality and true-ness to color, is remarkable. When my cards were coming out of the printer, I found myself running my hands over the designs, because they almost had the quality of a letterpress. The printer can print wide formats (13 inches) and long (up to 44 inches). You can even outfit it with a roll of paper to print panoramas. If you ever had any hopes of doing some serious designing and printing at home, or printing your own photographs in larger formats, scrapbooking pages, or other creative projects, this printer would be an amazing investment. And I can’t wait to see all the great ideas we’ll come up with to use it with homeschooling this year as well. I had to tell you, because I love it so! 🙂

I toyed with the idea of putting a few up in my neglected etsy shop, since I have printed myself a lifetime’s supply, but for today, until I get my act together, I’d love to giveaway two sets here. It’s fun to giveaway some of my own work for a change.

Just leave your own ‘hello’ on this post….I’ll pick two “winners” soon.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I would be remiss in writing this post without mentioning how I printed these cards. They were printed at home with my Epson R1900. It is a dream printer. The quality and true-ness to color, is remarkable. When my cards were coming out of the printer, I found myself running my hands over the designs, because they almost had the quality of a letterpress. The printer can print wide formats (13 inches) and long (up to 44 inches). You can even outfit it with a roll of paper to print panoramas. If you ever had any hopes of doing some serious designing and printing at home, or printing your own photographs in larger formats, scrapbooking pages, or other creative projects, this printer would be an amazing investment. And I can’t wait to see all the great ideas we’ll come up with to use it with homeschooling this year as well. I had to tell you, because I love it so! 🙂

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Happy Weekend, friends and happy old-fashioned letter writing.

108 Comments