Yesterday evening the boys were on the golf cart. Well, actually, we were all on the golf cart when Hudson announced that he was going to marry Haley Crane. And that would be no big deal, but Hudson is six and Haley is nineteen. Denton said, “Hudson, she’s going to be an old lady by the time you’re grown!” To which Hudson said, ” Don’t you remember what God told that old man and old lady in the Bible? He told them that they could have a baby when they were old, so I can have one too.” Then Denton said, “Hudson! They were blessed…and YOU are not blessed!”
So, what do ya say to that?

Yesterday afternoon Ramona Van Mol stopped by

completely unaware that she was about to enter the duck round-up zone. To tell you the truth, it was a good thing she showed up, because that girl can get serious about catching ducks.
She actually started out as a spectator, but before long,

she was right in the middle of it all.

She even took the net

and headed for the thick of things. And you know what?

SHE GOT ONE!
That one was handed off

to Donna, who hung onto the thing and watched hysterically from the sidelines

while the other ducks were caught.
Then came

the victory parade, followed by

the descent to the duck deck and the actual release. I don’t have pictures of the ducks on the deck because they just

ran right through that little house and jumped off into the water… just that quick.
But that’s alright because they’ll come around. But for now,

they are enjoying their big water.

A little rusty scrap iron, a piece of expanded metal, some angle iron, a couple of truck hoods and twenty four hours later, I finally got that duck house finished. And, I mounted it on the deck. So, here it is. Can I have a drum roll please?

So which one do you prefer…

A, or

B?
When those girls from New York

get back from New Orleans,

we’re gonna catch some ducks.

Yesterday morning I went to the scrap yard…just like I said I would. I selected some things that are old, and some that are new. Then, I came home to build a duck house that DID NOT smack of boring.
I’m not finished yet, but hope to check that box later today. Here are a few teasers to arouse your curiosity.

You’re probably thinking, “Now what the heck is that?” Stay tuned for the reveal.

The more I looked at that deck

with that little house attached to it, the more frustrated I became. It, whatever ‘it’ is, was just not happening for me. I know that I don’t have to use it, but I do have to look at it, and I couldn’t look at it any longer. The whole thing just smacked of boring. I don’t know what I was thinking, other than I needed to install a shelter, and this one wouldn’t add much weight.

Then I remembered a book I had purchased when we were doing landscaping.

It’s called ‘Outer Spaces’ and is filled with unusual, not boring ideas.

The little wheels in my head are turning, and this morning I’m going to the scrap yard. I just have to remember to keep it light.

Yesterday morning, I was at Inglewood Plantation

around the time that the sun was about to clear the pecan trees. I wanted to take a few pictures and really just enjoy the ambiance.

The girls went with me, which was a little atypical for that time of THEIR morning. But, we enjoyed puttering around and driving along the bayou with the windows rolled down.
The two of them arrived at my house Monday evening. They drove all the way from Buffalo, New York

in this little blue Smart Car which happens to be

smaller than my golf cart. After driving that far in that little car, sharing the creek with that snake seems like a piece of cake.
When we returned home, they did their thing and I did mine…which happened to be working on the duck deck. I attached a dog house to the top for shelter, and built a little ramp to make it easier for the ducks to get on the deck from the water.

I feel like it might be a little hot out on that deck, so I might have to consider some shade options.
I have a few ideas, but if you think of something, let me know.

Monday I built the deck for my floating duck island, and yesterday I added the floatation devices, which I made out of PVC pipe. I had four pieces of four inch pipe,

and all I needed to do was cap each end.

After gluing on the caps,

I fastened the pipe to the bottom of the deck,

then leaned the deck up against a trailer. I had to ask for help to load it, because IT WAS HEAVY. It took three of us…Donna, her daughter Katie, and me.
Then I hauled it to the pond

with Katie following to make sure the thing didn’t fall off along the way.
Lyndsey, Katie’s friend, is here too,

and she helped unload the deck. Then Donna, Katie, Lyndsey and I shoved it out into the pond for its maiden voyage…and guess what?

The thing actually floated! Donna suggested that it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for people to ride around on it, but for ducks it would be just fine.
By that time, we were all really hot, especially the girls, who came here from Buffalo, New York. So I took them to the creek.

They stayed in just long enough to cool off. To tell you the truth, I’m surprised that those girls even got in in the first place, knowing that they were sharing that same water with the yard long copperhead that jumped in just before they did.

Yesterday Joel took the boys down to the store and bought them lunch. They chose chicken tenders and biscuits. The chicken was Hudson’s, and the biscuits were Denton’s. Upon arrival back at my house, they decided that they wanted to have a picnic. They found a blanket that I spread out in a patch of shade in the front yard while Joel fixed ‘plain milk’ for them in cups with lids.

It was just a simple undertaking,

but Hudson said that it was a dream come true.
Whatever they were playing before they came over evidently required them to wear shirts with no pictures on them.

Thus, the reason for their shirts being wrong side out, and in Denton’s case, backwards.
If the boys are outside, Matilda, who turned twelve last month,

is usually close by. She likes to be where they are,

but knows better than to join them on a picnic blanket.
However, Cutie Pie

is a different story. I was informed that her last name is Pie, and Miss Pie

had to be monitored closely. Cats are like that. But old dogs and children seem to have things worked out.

Three weeks from today I will be winging my way back to

Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula where, for the third time in a year

I’ll be staying at the Grouchy Old Woman Bed and Breakfast, not far from

the beautiful Cook Inlet.

This time I will not be traveling alone, which pleases me.

Joel and I will be making this little journey together.
So what are we going to do once we’re there? Specifically… I have no idea…yet. It will be good to be on Daniel’s lake again, hanging out with Mom and the gang. Hopefully, Mom will have some projects that we can help her with. There will also be time for adventure. After all, going to a place known as the last frontier does usher in a spirit of adventure. Someone said,”Without the spirit of adventure how can we continue to really be ourselves?” So, back to the question about what we’re going to be doing. I guess you can say that we’re going to just really be ourselves.

Yesterday morning Laura was at work so Adam came over to our place to hang out. Josh was in the garden

doing his daylily thing…

whatever that is.

So Adam,

Nikki and Josie went out to sit in the shade of the fruit trees. The boys, who are not slaves to fashion, were there too,

climbing and having a good old time. At one point, Denton went out on a limb and couldn’t figure how to come back, so Nikki and Josie

went to his rescue.
The boys tried out a plum

that had fallen to the ground, but I’m not too sure

that it made a positive impression on Denton.
Soon,

Josh joined the circle in the shade,

and so did Joel. And in that space of space and time, all was well

in everybody’s little world.