It seems that a mama mallard has decided to take up residence alongside our
house, right beneath the window Stosh regularly patrols. And I hope he hasn't
frightened her off!

I first saw Daphne ducking around a couple weeks ago, leaving for the bus;
she was quacking across the driveway and, um, ducked under the fence into the
neighbor's yard. A few days after Louie and I saw her heading into the hedge,
then over the weekend we found her on a pile of leaves right by Stosh's
window and the side door. We went out, came home, and she was off on her
errands. Louie didn't like having her so exposed, fearful of the neighborhood
toms and the very busy street, so he thought to get a large spade and
transfer her bed closer to the bushes where she could nap in peace. I was
hesitant on the matter and for good reason: damned if there weren't seven
eggs under those leaves! None broken, thankfully, and none touched by two-
legged hands or anything else. Louie nudged everything together with the
spade and covered it all up with more leaves. It looks flattened, like it's
been sat upon, but we haven't seen Daphne in 3 days. Louie is horrified with
himself, afraid the good lady has decided to abandon her brood. I don't know
from ducks; maybe she goes off to eat and socialize with the other ladies
around the swimmin' hole, and comes to see after the ducklings-to-be at night
when it's cooler? God only knows. I hope the little ones'll be okay, and I
hope the mama is too; there's a lot of traffic around our place.

Blessed be,
Baha