Ducks...

When I arrived home from work yesterday I spotted something sitting in the bushes in front of my house. It was a duck. A big duck. Then I noticed the leaves on the bushes were moving. To my delight there were baby ducks hiding in them. I couldn't believe it. I quietly and quickly got out of the car and ran into the house to get some bread. When I came back outside they were sitting there...two adults and nine baby ducks. I slowly approached...they stopped…they looked…then stared and moved slightly, never taking their eyes off of me. I could hardly stand it...I was getting closer...I wanted to pet them…I didn't want them to leave so I threw my first piece of bread as if I was throwing a "peace" offering. The babies scurried towards me. They were as excited as I was. I was giving them Arnold 's sandwich thin bread, 100 calories, and laughed as I was surrounded by baby ducks. All I could think about was the Duck Master on Mother's Day...

I was in Arkansas on Mother's Day. My son-in-law, Nick, took my daughter and I to the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock . We heard about the "Peabody Duck March" and wanted to see it.

For those of you who have never heard of the "Duck March", the twice-daily March of The Peabody Ducks has continued in unbroken sequence at 11am and 5pm since the tradition began in Memphis almost 70 years ago. At precisely 11am, the Peabody Ducks leave their Royal Peabody Duck Palace, and arrive at a location in the lobby, where a crimson carpet has been laid out on the gleaming marble floor, leading to the marble fountain which was specially created for them. Three carpeted steps are in place.

The ducks are accompanied by their Duck Master, who is clad in scarlet-and-gold trimmed jacket, and carries a brass head duck cane. Then, John Philip Sousa's King Cotton March fills the air, the Peabody ducks march on their red carpet, climb the stairs and dive into the fountain waters. They preen and play there all day. At precisely 5pm, the march is reversed back to the duck palace, where their dinner is waiting (romaine lettuce, grated carrots, live worm meals and Peabody duck trail mix). They even close off an elevator just for the ducks.

It was delightful to watch...both young and old(er) really enjoyed watching them march. It's funny how we goggle and awe over ducks. Is it the way they waddle? Is it the way they quack? Is it those funny looking webbed feet?...or their fluffy little feathers...I thought about the Duck Master as those baby ducks surrounded me...I wondered if I could train them to do a daily duck march in my driveway...I have a baton (have had it since Junior High)…I could use a red towel…and my song of choice would be, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”…I could just imagine them waddling on the red towel…all lined up in a row…me leading the way…holding my baton…I got the hose and gave them water...they drank and played in a puddle that formed at the bottom of the driveway...for a moment I thought I could...be a duck master that is...then they waddled off...not even giving me a second look...silly ducks!!!!

Quack. Quack...

I hope you all have a Wonderful Wednesday and enjoy the simple pleasures in life...like pretending to be a Duck Master.

One quack at a time Makes a Difference...at least for a duck!!