Have you ever wondered, for example, why the sun always rises in the East? Why the summers are hot and the winter’s cold? Why the sky is blue here on Earth and solid black to our astronauts? Why electricity tingle your fingers and why your heart keeps beating even when you aren’t thinking about it?
I have.
I have often heard, "...if your not the lead dog, the scenery never changes". That could be a true ism as what I have seen, most days are predictable and pretty much the same...until today. Today has been different somehow. It is not yet 6 O’clock in the morning but the day is different. The sky is blue, as usual; the lake is mirror smooth, as usual for this time of the morning. Give it a couple hours. Add a few dozen jet-skis, a few guys/gals fishing, three or four 40’ cabin cruisers power boats, kids water skiing and boats pulling guys and girls on water skis and boogie boards and there you have a normal day on the lake. This morning is somehow – different.
This morning has not been normal as everything seems to have twos.
Two chipmunks running as fast as short legs will allow. One with what looks to be a chopped off tail and the other in close pursuit. Both are your everyday cute, destructive rodent. Rodents? Sure. Those cute little guys are nothing more then small stripped squirrels that prefer the ground. Meanwhile the aerial version of the little chipmunk are alive and well jumping from tree to tree and playing between meals. The trees seem to be bursting with young fuzzy tailed squirrels chasing each other. Not sure how they do it but they defy gravity in their games and I have yet to see one fall. Complete panic sometimes when small branches are missed, but fall… never. Vertical sides of anything scare me to tears but vertical means nothing to these rodents with razors picks for toenails and ice water in their veins. If I were to climb a normal sized tree trunk it would take me the better part of a day. Not so with these young rodents. There may be a few older squirrels thrown into the fray but they all look the same to me. These rodents climb, chase and play at the speed of a blink. They aren’t quiet doing it either. Not sure what squirrel talk sounds like because I am usually laughing so hard at their antics I can’t hear anything over my own voice. Whatever it sounds like, they do it quickly and with twitching tail semaphore make sure their message is received.
Turtles eat our baby ducks so I have no love for those creatures that live in my lake and look like rocks with legs and ugly heads. I have a pump pellet pistol that I will plink the little brown baby duck eaters every chance I get. I have yet to hit one, but Dixie or I should call her by her professional name – Annie Oakley has been know to plink the back of their heads on a regular basis. They normally surface and hang onto the boat docks guide wires that hang in the water while they breathe and sun themselves. That is when Miss Oakley has her best shots. This morning there were two rocks with legs and those really ugly heads swimming and sunning themselves between docks away from all wires. Unusual but there they were. All the baby ducks had either been eaten or grown old enough to fend for their selves as Ms. Oakley was no where in sight. Lucky turtles.
Ducks live on my lake also and why not? The lake is pleasant, full of food and because this is a boating and pleasure Lake No Hunting is allowed. We have ducks strolling in the yard on a daily basis but if you get within a few feet they will make a major verbal complaint and are airborne over your head in a matter of a second. Don’t be surprised if they deposit a bit of poop on your head either. Our ducks like life here but they mostly travel alone or in flocks. Today was different. All our Mallards were in pairs.
Now pairing is not unusual in October and November when the Drakes are horny and the Hens coy but today is the last week in July. Why today are they paired off?
Not all ducks quack; many whistle, squeal, or grunt. I heard a lot of grunting this morning, but those were mostly from those arguing. Have you even seen ducks argue? Have you even seen ducks fornicate? Takes two I know but I don’t believe that is my answer this morning.
Everyone has seen mother duck and her brood stop traffic as they meander across a major highway but have you ever seen them in any kind of major argument? They will yell and grunt at each other on land and in the water until usually the hen will have enough and fly away, or try too. The angry Drank will always chase her as best he can but the Hen has special flying capabilities she will throw at the Drake until he gives up and leaves her alone. Ever watch a jet airliner making a final approach into an airport. Ever notice how the aircraft will lower landing flaps to reduce speed and then lower its landing gear that will further reduce speed? Mother hen does the same in the air to anger the male. She will be flying as hard as her wings will allow and Mr. Drank will be right on her tail screaming and grunting when mother Hen will stick her legs down and lower her tail feathers. A surprised Drake will always go flying past and has to do a wide circle to come back into his arguing position. Mother hen will do her foot dragging, tail feather routine until drake finally grunts and leaves her alone. It’s all part of nature but always takes two to argue.
Duck fornication is different and sometimes difficult and embarrassing to watch. Animals hump till the male waddles off with silly smirks and the indifferent female are inseminated. If ducks hump they are quick about it and for sure they are not fish, but they seem to prefer water. The air is their kingdom but their love-making is under water and looks dangerous. Danger is the bad part. Quick is the good part for the hen. The Drake usually swims up to a chosen hen, jumps on her back while banging on the back of her head with his beak till he pushes her head under water. Drakes are a lot like teen age boys however and normally the Hens head is only underwater one or two seconds. The Human mating season has neither boundaries nor time constraints and maybe because of this are much better at loving then other animals and things that fly, especially ducks. Nature tells me two is better then one and less strenuous then three.
Being human is good.
Maybe today is different because it is a Monday, the temperature is already 93 degrees here in Mid-America and nature tells me, “…it takes two”.
Enjoy each moment of each day and remember the next time you applaud someone or something…. It takes two hands.
Explore the mystery of how nature makes unexpected gifts of creative wonders to an unsuspecting caregiver one late night and early morning in southeastern Georgia, USA.
A book of nature inspired poems and essays, written from the heart and soul of a life-long nature, animal, and wilderness lover, and dedicated to today’s children - Earth's only hope for a better tomorrow.
This book won 'The Poetry Category'
