Mal's Mallard Magic

Some days ... I tell ya.
When you don't know what on earth you're going to do, somehow your friends swoop in to save you.
That's what happened here at this old farm last night.

There I stood, in the middle of the driveway - camera in hand...with a frantic look on my face. Like magic...my "niece" Malorie appeared, a knight in shining armor, ok...a knightess in a shiny new Pathfinder.
You see...I was trying to rescue some duckies that had fallen into the fishpond that we had drained for repairs. The mama duck thought I was up to no good, so she chased me away from the pond, hissing and attempting to peck at my bare legs with her beak. Note to self: when doing battle with an angry duck, don't wear shorts and flip-flops.
I was at a loss as to what to do. The mama was so upset I was afraid she was going to hurt herself.
Then....ta daaaaa.
Malorie pulled on the driveway, I frantically told her my story and she said "I'm not afraid of a silly duck!"


Here's the really mad mama duck, standing at the edge of the abyss, where her two little darlings were four feet down...quacking for all they were worth

Hellooo...anybody up there?

Malorie walked right up to the pond, the mama quacked, hissed and fluttered...Mal stood her ground. Mama took to the air, flew around in circles to divert us I think. Hubby fished the ducklings out of the pond with a swimming pool skimmer. Hey...desperate times call for desperate measures!

The ducklings waddled off to the creek, mama flew back and landed in the water.
Hooray!

And they all lived happily ever after.

I love a happy ending, don't you?

I can bearly believe it!

Today was nature day I tell ya! This morning I looked out the bathroom window at the cabin and right there...stretched out was a three foot rattlesnake (I think...not positive... it may have been a bull snake)...I'm not posting the picture because snakes are creeeepyyyyy. I opened the window and snapped some shots. If anybody wants to see them just ask and I'll post....ewwwww.
Then a golden eagle swooped down at the puppy when she was out in the yard! Yiiikes.
On my drive home I had to stop for a quail and five little chicks who were standing in the road...it took them quite a while to move, I hope they smarten up and stop playing in the street.

And thennnn....the grand finale. I was minding my own business driving home and lookey here who I saw! My oh my...I was so excited. I flipped a u-turn...pulled up alongside the bear to snap a photo and oooppppsss....the dog went crazy! The bear gave us that Pacino look "You talkin' to me?" I wanted to get a better shot but decided I had better move along, my car has a soft top and if that bear wanted to it could rip it open in one swipe.
What a fun nature day.

Just visiting...

This guy to the right here was hanging
out in the tree in the front yard today.
He did a fly-by through the back yard,
that was pretty cool...the odds of catching
that with my camera are....uhhh...zero!









But this "little" guy, he sits nice...plays nice. He's
also visiting, he's from the Alternative
Humane Society. Sometimes he's a little
shy with new people...but not always! Mom
came over today and he was verrryyy
pleased to meet her, it was love at first sight.
My sister was here too, he was a bit reserved
with her at first, but in no time at all he was
snuggled up at her feet. He looks a whole lot
like our dearly departed Tippy, he's very
sweet just like Tippy was.

Alfred Hitchcock moment

In my front yard...eeeeeks.

When I was a kid my brother and I would watch "The Birds" every time it was on TV. It was creepy and scary but we watched it anyway. I looked out my window today and my front lawn was full of birds....it was like a swarm of bees....but it was birds. Reminded me of my fascination with Tippi Hendren so many (many!) years ago.