Adrift with little-uns

There is always something to watch at the park this time of year, I saw 3 different broods of ducklings. This little ball of fluff caught my attention. 

 

This mother duck had her "wings" or "feathers" full with 8 little ducklings. 



 

 

A closer look at one.

 

 

 

"Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath."

Michael Caine

 

She was "herding" them around the pond.

 

 

 "If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidea on our hands."

 

Douglas Adams

 

 

There are small drifts of "white stuff" along the edges of the trails in the park and in the woods, in some places about 4 inches, not snow but the fluff blowing off the trees (cottonwoods I believe).

It is at times like this that I am very thankful that I am not sensitive to pollen.

 

 

This duckling is a lot older, notice the colour in those cute little wings.

 

"That is my gift. I let that negativity roll off me like water off a duck's back. If its not positive, I didn't hear it. If you can overcome that, fights are easy."

 

George Foreman

 

 

I only saw three goslings so far this year and the parents were being very protective; at one point they even chased away a duckling.

 

 

 

Pretty cute!

 

As I watched one seemed to fall asleep on its feet; it sank to the ground burying its beak in the grass, a short nap until woken by the adult.

"Being born in a duck yard does not matter, if only you are hatched from a swans egg".

 

Hans Christian Andersen 

 

Here is the last of the duck families. I noticed that not one of the three duck families had the drake in attendance, in that respect the geese seemed to be more conscientious parents.

 

 

"If you keep your feathers well oiled the water of criticism will run off as from a duck's back."

 

Ellen Swallow Richards

 

I also saw some newly fledged Redwing Blackbirds. The male RW Blackbird was chasing the Crows away and in one case I saw it actually peck at the crow.

 

The crows must be quite a threat to the newly fledged birds.

 

and just one more thought:

 

"Just when he thought the world was ending, the caterpillar turned into a butterfly."

 

Proverb

 

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This week I finished this painting, an ink and watercolour, of an artichoke which I called "Arty-choke":

 

 

 

Love the purple versions but as with purple beans they end up green when cooked.

 

 It is the latest of my Food cards, which include a recipe card using the pictured ingredient. What is the recipe for this card, take a look:

 

View at:http://www.pswhimsy.com/food-cards-series-22.html

 

or all the food cards at: http://www.pswhimsy.com/food.html

 

In addition to the above card I have made several other card additions to the PS Whimsy site, view these at:

 

http://www.pswhimsy.com/new-additions.html

 

 

Until next time...

Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

happy Whimsy Wednesday