by 
There I was stuck between a duck and a hard place, so to speak. When I moseyed up to the water garden to do some raking one day this week I saw a mallard hen enjoying herself there. The mallard pair had been there the evening before and even though the drake wasn’t around I assumed it was the hen of the pair that frequents our pond, especially since she didn’t seem disturbed by my presence. Shortly, though, the mallard pair showed up and the drake sent the first hen packing. She flew over the fence to the area on the south just outside the enclosure and stood their awhile apparently considering her options. After a while she walked around to the north side of the enclosure and flew from there back into the pond. Again the drake sent her packing and again she flew over the fence to the south side of the enclosure where I’d left the chili wagon. It’s fun to have wild ducks visit the pond so I try not spook them when I’m in the area. However, I’d finished raking in the enclosure and needed to go to another area, which meant I needed to pass where the new duck was. I finally did and she moved out of my way without taking flight. Later she departed, no doubt having decided she wasn’t going to be able to enjoy the pond as long as the other ducks were around. Maybe she’ll be back when they are not. There must be people around where she normally visits since she had so little fear of me.
Joyce and Chris are at it again. As if the three keats they are cooking up in the shop aren’t enough, they went and got 16 chicks. It seems the current group of hens aren’t laying much and demand for fresh eggs is high here on SA. I don’t know what lies in store for the spent hens when this new batch comes on line but I would advise them to have their affairs in order just in case. For now, the chicks are billeted in a cardboard box on the back porch and the granddaughters are having fun with them.
Are you familiar with the wild variety of purslane? Last year there was an infestation in the orchard I mostly got rid it by hoeing. It’s back this year worse than last year. I’ve read that it will propagate itself from cuttings so maybe hoeing wasn’t the best strategy. This week I spent a couple of mornings before work torching it with my weed burner. It’s a tedious process but better than hoeing and hopefully it actually kills it rather than spreading it. Purslane is consumed by some people. I read that it’s a suitable substitute for spinach or lettuce in a salad. Maybe if I could get the neighbors to start eating it that would solve the problem.
Friday night the amphibious chorus was in full throat. The gentle rain (one inch) we got through the evening got them all excited. Me, too. Saturday morning Joyce and I took advantage of the wet ground to go about the place burning purslane with my weed burner. We didn’t get it all. There is still a patch in the orchard, but we did a good job of containing it. Joyce spotted for me and I even recruited the neighbors to our zero-tolerance policy. If we stay after it, maybe we can avoid it taking over. There are already enough other weed varieties trying to do that.