Mama Duck

April 9

Hello Mama Duck! We are so glad you are safe and sound. As we bike by the pond on our way to the beach this morning we spot her. She paddles over quack quack quacking, clearly looking for food. We have nothing but praise to offer her. I imagine her nest somewhere close but safe, deep in a hedge. I send her all my motherly support. It must be a lot of work sitting on those eggs. She and her two Mallard friends get so close we can see the shimmering blue on the tips of their wing feathers.

When they realize we are not going to produce a bag of bread crumbs they waddle off protesting noisily. It makes me want to rethink the no feeding policy, potential alligator or not.

We peddle on relieved to have seen her. We are taking our new bike cart for it's maiden voyage today. For a long time I have thought that if I could just get my kids and our stuff onto our bikes we would never need to drive again while on vacation. Well today I found the answer to my dream: a sturdy two wheeled cart that attaches to the back of my bike. We must make quite a sight, me with my little one in the child seat just behind me and the cart packed with beach paraphernalia rolling behind. My first grader gliding along on her own with her flower basket full of shells rattling cheerfully at every bump.