Because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ

I have a friend.

Who has a friend.

Who has a best friend.

Who has a daughter.

Who lost her husband and two young children (5 yrs and 18 mos) in the tornado in Joplin, MO.

Please pray hard for her, and all others touched by recent violent storms.

If you would like to read more, get tissues, and click on the link below:

http://www.joplinglobe.com/obituaries/x816761141/Russell-T-Rusty-Howard-Harli-Jayce-Howard-Hayze-Cole-Howard

I cannot imagine. I hugged and kissed and loved my family with gratitude today.

I cannot stop praying for Edie, and I have no words to say to God. Just thoughts of sheer and utter sadness, and the hope for hope going heaven-wards to be correctly interpreted and showered upon the family left behind.

I cannot image.

Abandoned

Since discovery of the mallard's nest, we were curious as to how we were to trim our bushes. Since Mama duck came, laid an egg, and left for the day, we figured we could carefully trim the bushes while she was gone. Shagga-fied bushes in the middle of June after planting pretty annuals is not an option, trimming had to happen. Boxwood bush trimming was successful and the nest was left intact and untouched. The next morning, one egg was kicked out, in the flower bed and cracked. Probably eaten. Then the next day another egg was out of the nest. Mama and Daddy were nowhere to be seen. Gone, abandoned. No more egg laying or incubation initiation. Abandoned nest. Which allows for more egg trauma. Norah keeps stating they are hatching. Simon stated maybe they are like eggs in our refrigerator to cook. Doesn't help that we noticed duck eggs for sale at $6 a dozen at our farmers market on Sunday. Sunday, the culprit revealed himself. A fence-sitting, egg-eating squirrel was sighted on our front porch rail just above the location of the nest.

We are a bit sad for the ducklings that aren't to be. We were looking forward to the waddling out of our bushes . . . .

But, such is nature. My theory? Maybe this was Mama duck's first egg laying experience and she learned something from it. Not a good sitter, this time. Perhaps a nest next year?

Mallard Mania

One day, one egg, one family all in a tizzy about mallards. Mallard Mania here we come. After a quick Google about "how many eggs does a mallard duck lay?", I learned this following information. We could be in for an exciting 8-12 days followed by an exciting incubation period!

Found Information:

Males and females pair up in late fall. Nesting begins in early to mid Spring. Nests are usually made away from the ducks' main body of water. The male and female will scout out the nest site together, looking for sites with low predator activity. Even though she can safely fly in and out of the nesting location, she does not anticipate that she'll have to walk out once the ducklings hatch. Nests may be located close to busy streets or in enclosed courtyards. The female will return to the selected site to lay an egg each day, then return to the water to be with the male. Mallards lay between 8-12 eggs and muscovies lay between 12-18 eggs. The egg laying process last for an equal number of days. Once egg laying is complete, she will leave the male (who will wait at the water for her) and she will begin incubation. By waiting to incubate until egg-laying is complete, this ensures all the eggs hatch at the same time. At this stage the females will only leave the nest to quickly get food/water and briefly visit with the male, usually very early in the morning and late in the evening. She can be observed taking flight in the direction of her preferred body of water. In 24 to 28 days for mallards ( 28 to 32 days for muscovies ), all the eggs will hatch within a twenty-four hour period and the mother will lead her brood back to the water where her mate should be waiting. Returning to the male ensures protection for both the female and the ducklings.

If an unattended nest is discovered and it has less than 8 eggs, it may be safe to assume that the female has not yet completed egg laying. She will only begin incubating the eggs once egg laying is complete.

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Good thing we do not reside in a courtyard. Unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard did not consult us about the coopers hawk. I guess from curbside appeal, our humble abode looks safe.

Here come the Mama Duck

So yesterday in the warm afternoon, Norah and I enjoyed popcorn and lemonade on our front porch while Eric took Simon to the doctor. Norah exclaimed "egg"!!! We looked under our bush, and there was a loose nest with a large, white egg. While we feed the many neighborhood sparrows, occasional cardinals, and therefore coopers hawks, with our bird feeder, we have never noticed nest-al activity before. No sign of Mama or Papa yesterday evening. I began to ponder how to explain a possible abandoned egg, or how to sneakily get rid of an egg that never hatched. And the sadness that could follow. Not to worry, not to worry.

This morning as Eric left for work, he took Norah outside to see Mama Duck sitting on the egg and Papa Duck standing watch in the street. We will spend all day watching the situation, wondering why Papa flew away, will Papa come back, where did Papa go, how will the baby get food, and trying not to scare Mama off her egg as we noisily play outside.

We live 1 1/2 blocks from a water retention pond and we have walked many-an-evening to see the ducks. Sometimes 100 ducks have gathered there, so we are not surprised to see this wayward family.

It adds excitement to the spring. Daffodils, lilacs, tulips, and duckling - oh my!

Oh, and the Tulip Free For All is this week, free tulips! I think I will go on Thursday perhaps 1, 2, or 3 times for a recycling bin full of tulips. Simon's school has a fall clean up or planting and tulips would be nice to see in the spring.

Speaking of Simon, he has just finished his antibiotic for his ear infection. He now has viral bronchitis and needed a nebulizer treatment yesterday at the doctor office. According to Eric, he took it okay. At least we are past the kicking and screaming while receiving the neb, but he gagged after a minute or two. He has thrown up immediately after a treatment before. Not a fun thing. We will be using the inhaler as needed. He left for the doctor feverish, mopey, and silent. He returned talking. It's amazing what he can do with enough air! Hopefully this doesn't continue and develop into asthma. Each time the doctor's bring it up, and each time it is a wait and see. He seems to only have these breathing troubles with respiratory illness.

So we will spend the day resting, coughing, reading "Are You my Mother?" and watching the situation out our front window. Perched on stools, my little ones can see Mama Duck on her nest under the bush in the front flower beds.