extraordinary

although i have known pip for her entire 2 years

and have come to expect this behavior,

it never fails to amaze me.

today was extra, extra sweet.

she was asleep with her babies

way across the pond.

hard to see, but she is just above the rocks, slightly left of center.

she's sleeping with her head tucked under her wing.

her babies are in a pile almost squarely in the center.

pippa! ............pippa!

still asleep.

c'mon, pippa!

then, she stretched her legs and wings,

stepped into the water,

and swam her babies over to my shore.

yes, my heart leaps out of my chest

every. single. time.

hello, pippa!

hello, babies!

she eats the whole corn i bring,

then settles down next to me.

her ducklings eat the same baby food

{chick starter} i fed pip as a baby.

she's teaching them to forage,

i'm just giving them a little nutritional bump.

the ducklings eat, drink, swim,

eat, drink, swim, and so on.

my sweet girl rests next to me

when i look at this photo, my eyes tear up.

she is extraordinary.

some duck

i want to spell in spider webs above her.

and her sweet babies...

i love them so much.

♥

~extra special thanks~

thank you,

mary, matt, and molly,

for keeping watch over pip & her pipsqueaks,

and feeding them breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

i know you love them as much as i do.