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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Silly Squirrels, Must be NUTS

red tulipSeveral weeks ago we spotted this one, lone red tulip in the yard. Not in the flower bed you can see just to edge of the picture. This flower bed is NOT where I've planted tulips at all as a matter of fact. What is a fact is that all the red tulips are on the side of the house, this picture is in the back yard. Now birds can sometimes drop seeds and things can sprout in odd places; but tulips don't have seeds. In fact their bulbs are pretty good size, AND their planted on the surface but about 6 inches below the soil. So.........me thinks some silly squirrel is nuts. Rather he or she was planting nuts, dug up my bulb thinking it was a nut and never remember to come back to it for dinner along the way. Or perhaps he or she did come back for a snack and realized....hum, that's not a nut!
red tulipHere's a close up my lone tulip. Intended to dig it up to transplant it back where it belongs after it bloomed; but it's been raining alot and so, I've not gotten that done.

We enjoyed it's beauty just the same.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Miracle of Birth, and Laying an Egg

Mallard Duck nestingThe other day I traveled to Urbana to help Daddy take his 90 year old Sister to the doctors. This Duck has made herself a comfy nest right beside the door to the doctor's office. I mean right beside it. See the drain, the door is to the left about 8 inches. There were tons of people in and out in and out. We were there about an hour and half and the poor Duck surely had lots of interruptions. Someone else there waiting got her the bowl of water and some stale bread. What a busy place to make a nest to lay eggs.
Momma MallardApparently, she had already layed the eggs. See the white there in the very front? One of the nurses came out to check on her and said there was a pond back behind the office; but there were often cats there. She figured the Duck felt safer close to the building with all the people.
Duck on EggsShe didn't squawk as we all watched her. I'm not as close as this looks (wanted to give her some space); used my Zoom and then cropped the photo here which makes it appear I'm closer.

Birth is such a miracle. Wonder if the doctors office staff has little ducklings there yet to watch over?