Quack

 

 The Cayuga Duck

Fawn and White Runner Ducks

Amanda ordered Cayuga and Runner ducklings from the Twisp feed store to be delivered this spring. And not just any ducks!

 

The Cayuga comes from the Finger Lake region of New York. They have striking black iridescent plumage and are easy to tame as backyard pets. 

 

(Well, Nova and Maya can tame just about any critter.)

 

The Fawn and White Runner ducks are native to Malaysia. They excel in garden pest control (specifically slugs and insects) and make friendly but active backyard pets. They like to run around fast with their heads high in the air. What a hoot.

 

 

 

Ducks of course are also raised for meat (we won't go there) but the fancy breeds these days are more often kept as garden ornaments. These will join the fowl menagerie on the farm.

 

 Aw. The ducklings look like this:

 

 

What's not to love about ducks? We will find out. 

 

As for eggs, ducks lay between 200-300 a year. They are considered healthier and more nutrient dense than chicken eggs. 

 

 

Although the duck yolk colors can take some getting used to. Green eggs and ham, anyone?

Cheerful

 

"The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our heart way out of proportion to their size."

Gertrude S. Wister 

 

Believe it or not

 

 I bought this pine tree in a little bonsai pot about 20 years ago. Another plant that got away from me!  I eventually got tired of the bonsai fussing and planted it in front of the house. 

Little did I know at the time, it would someday help block the view of a new school addition across the street. Now, sitting at my desk, I see a tree instead of a school that now blocks the Olympic Mountain view. So it goes in West Seattle. 

It lost a huge amount of needles last fall, an alarming amount, but that's a normal sign of aging. Pine needle drop happens every 1-4 years, depending on the tree variety. I could rake the prickly things up, or maybe just leave them under the tree for mulch.

It is still quite warm, and on dry days, I'm slowly working my way around the house, getting the beds cleaned out. My old friends, the invasive bluebells, are coming up like crazy under the pine tree. Maybe the mulch will deter them. Maybe not. 

What can you say, when it comes to lost views and bluebells?

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." 

 

Soup and more soup

 

 

We eat lots of soupy meals this time of year, most on the heavy side, like chili. I finally used up the last of that Christmas ham in the freezer making bean soup. 

But the days are getting lighter, and I'd like to get a bit lighter too this spring. The scale doesn't lie. Too many desserts in front of the TV at night!

I bought Swanson Ramen Broth for the first time (a new product?) and it made a decent base for Asian noodle soup, doctored up with fresh chopped ginger and vegetables. No recipe required. 

A box of frozen shrimp tempura to go with. Tasty and a break from the gloopy stuff. 

Weird and warm

I cut back the dead stuff in the big flower bed, but it still looks pretty rough. It's hard to weed with bulbs coming up just below the surface. Over the years, I've beheaded some innocent heads with my Korean weeding tool.

On Saturday it got up to almost 60 degrees, so weirdly warm for January! I threw off my fleece jacket and worked outside in a long-sleeved shirt.  

This might be one of those rare Seattle winters without even a bit of snow. Maybe we'll get a foot in February, but the sun is already stronger so whatever falls won't last. Our long Northwest spring ( a 4-5 month transitional period) has sprung. 

We often have a Symphony concert on Super Bowl afternoon, which would be a real drag next weekend. Fortunately, we went yesterday instead, on a nothing Sunday downtown. Next week the city will be hopping.  

Goundhog Day. He saw his shadow. There's still hope for building up the mountain snow pack. 

The rain returns

 

The rain returns, in more ways than one. My Home Watch company sent this photo of a snapped irrigation line at the Twisp house, probably courtesy of the snow plower. That hose runs under the ground in front of the garage, so no easy fix when spring comes around. 

In other $$$ news, I got sucked into income tax prep yesterday and blogging fell by the wayside. 

Our tax guy always sent a preparer packet, which I'd mail back with all the tax documents. Simple and neat for an old librarian. 

This year the form is online and I suspect they want us to upload the forms to their company portal. Some will have to be scanned, so it sounds like a lot of trouble "for your convenience." Always something. 

Enough complaining. We had fun yesterday playing our ukuleles and singing at the top of our voices on The Bridge patio. Fortunately, the inside door is heavy so people can sit at the bar and drink in peace. 

We're now using a app called Song Pro, instead of the chaotic airdropping of songs to a group of 40+ people. It's pretty slick. Yes, old dogs can learn new tricks. 

Have a good weekend.