Like a Duck to Water

   I've been very busy since our little ducklings hatched, getting through our first package bee week and preparing for the second one coming up. As soon as I came back from California I removed the shallowest water dish from the duck pen so that the ducklings wouldn't be likely to get stuck in a water dish and drown.  I went out the other day to find three of our five little ducklings swimming around in a circle in the next shallowest water bucket. The mother duck thought she had things well in hand and didn't appreciate my rescue of her little ducklings from the water bucket.  In order to keep the little ducklings safe from temptation I had to remove that water dish as well.  The siren call of the water is irresistible but it would have ended badly for the ducklings.  They can get into the bucket but they aren't very good at getting out of it.  I think they were using the adjacent concrete pier as a diving board. I have to admit that it reminded me more than a little bit of protecting certain teenagers from their own natural inclination to get into trouble.

Three ducklings in the water with another one ready to jump in.