Wednesday, December 30, 2009

You NEVER know what a day will bring~~



Especially on a farm. I NEVER expected to be wading almost waist deep in my pond, smashing thru ice with a log.One of my Indian Runner ducks was not able to manage the fine art of ice skating.Instead, her belly bonded with the ice as she desperately tried to paddle her way off with webbed feet.Ducks love to swim, even in frigid weather.They run the risk of having their feet iced into a pond or lake or their toes frostbitten.Fortunately,this gal's troubles were brought to my attention just before dark.I grabbed my hip high fishing boots and turned the vacuum on~~~ WHY???? Spiders and mouse nests claimed Squatter's Rights.Once they were successfully sucked free of every fiber,web and dirt I pulled them on and UP,snapped the strap onto my belt runner on my dungarees and made a quick headway for the pond.It was iced over.The springs stay at about 55F. all year and keep that one small entry way free of ice, but the main body of pond freezes.It was getting dark and she flapped her wings helplessly on her icy bed beneath her belly.I smashed the ice with the heel of my boot until I was beyond knee deep.Then I used a log to smash my way thru.The smashings frightened the duck and she flapped her wings and pushed her feet away from me further across the ice.A grass rake was the answer (my husband's good idea!)and she was pulled to safety.She hobbled across the yard but appeared to have a limp,so once she hid under a bush I wisked her up under my arm and into the house next to the woodfire.My grandchildren named her STEVE.Since all the Indian Runners look the same, I shall call them ALL Steve.Anyway, Steve was quite content in the house, leapt off my lap and hid behind the wood stove.It was the most pleasant hour she spent since winter began! Warm and toasty! She wagged her tail the entire time she hid in that corner.Once a 'ducksplat' hit the floor, she was OUTTA HERE ! Into the barn atop the hay bales with the chickens.Not a bad deal for one night! (:>

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