Granny's gone and done it again

Quote:
I got him a female Khaki Campbell for a girlfriend when he got older. Mel was a wild mallard, he could fly like the wind, but he never left the farm. Every night I would pick him up and put him in his raccoon proof pen, and when phoebe came, my mom had to help me because she wasn't quite as tame. Mel and Phoebe had a clutch of 10 or 12 babies and that was so fun. We had an old bathtub outside and I set up a ramp and she would take them swimming in the bathtub. The babies would follow Phoebe around walking all in a line pit pat pit pat, and Mel was usually around keeping watch. But it made for a lot more work putting them away at night and eventually mom found a home for the youngsters. One night I was a bit late getting out to put them away and Mel was not anywhere to be seen. I called and called... and then I found the feathers. I frantically kept looking, but he was gone. I don't think I had ever experienced such a gut wrenching feeling. I walked out to end of the orchard and was hugging a post at the edge of the training ring, sobbing like I never had before. It was terrible. I couldn't stop thinking about what Mel must have felt and how it was my fault for being late. I didn't want more ducks after that and Phoebe couldn't stay alone, so we found a home for her. Their pen stayed out there for years, left as it was that day. Wasn't until just a couple years ago I helped dad cut away all the berries and other plants that grew up around it, and we took it apart and cleared it away. I still have the roll of wire.


haha... you asked. sniff sniff
 
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Quote:
I got him a female Khaki Campbell for a girlfriend when he got older. Mel was a wild mallard, he could fly like the wind, but he never left the farm. Every night I would pick him up and put him in his raccoon proof pen, and when phoebe came, my mom had to help me because she wasn't quite as tame. Mel and Phoebe had a clutch of 10 or 12 babies and that was so fun. We had an old bathtub outside and I set up a ramp and she would take them swimming in the bathtub. The babies would follow Phoebe around walking all in a line pit pat pit pat, and Mel was usually around keeping watch. But it made for a lot more work putting them away at night and eventually mom found a home for the youngsters. One night I was a bit late getting out to put them away and Mel was not anywhere to be seen. I called and called... and then I found the feathers. I frantically kept looking, but he was gone. I don't think I had ever experienced such a gut wrenching feeling. I walked out to end of the orchard and was hugging a post at the edge of the training ring, sobbing like I never had before. It was terrible. I couldn't stop thinking about what Mel must have felt and how it was my fault for being late. I didn't want more ducks after that and Phoebe couldn't stay alone, so we found a home for her. Their pen stayed out there for years, left as it was that day. Wasn't until just a couple years ago I helped dad cut away all the berries and other plants that grew up around it, and we took it apart and cleared it away. I still have the roll of wire.
hugs.gif
 
aww, How sad ! Im sorry. I know it was probably a long time ago but I remember that feeling from when my dog was run over. Its the end of the world. Im glad you have the wire. You should use it.
 
Thats what makes you a good mom. You know how to lay on the guilt. Im like ready to build you a pen .. I kept waiting for the, Naw, Im just kidding, we ate him part..
 
Goodnight Twist.


No granny, we did eat a couple of steers over the years, but my parents couldn't handle it. It was those sad cow eyes. A raccoon probably got Mel. After the second steer, we never raised animal for food except for eggs. My parents grew up in suburbia. Farming was all new to them.
 
Im going too just because its midnight and I have lost my glass slipper. I cant have the prince seeing me like this.

Big squeezes to you all..
 
Goodnight Twist.


No granny, we did eat a couple of steers over the years, but my parents couldn't handle it. It was those sad cow eyes. A raccoon probably got Mel. After the second steer, we never raised animal for food except for eggs. My parents grew up in suburbia. Farming was all new to them.
hugs.gif
 

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