Duck Duck Goose!

The ducks arrived today! This is the chirping box waiting on our front step this afternoon.

We immediately put them in their new home and watched them run, drink, and eat.

Avery was mesmerized.  

Quack Quack Hissssssss

Cayuga or Muscovy? 

This is the question plaguing the Hanson household.
"Are you really getting ducks?" I asked Chris on Monday night as he was placing an internet order.
"Yes. This site has a minimum order of 15....but on this one we could just get 10."
"How about 10 to start?" I suggested, pretending I am game for broadening our poultry collection.

He has done his research. The Muscovy are quiet and have great meat, but they are ugly as hell and they hiss instead of quack. While this may make them ideal for urban gardens, if we are going to get ducks, let us have the true duck experience: cuteness and quacking. I mean, I want to be able to hold these creatures without reservation and our windows are double-paned...

Muscovy breed

Cayuga breed

And Avery will love the duckling stage:

So the Cayuga seem the way to go. Just look at them! They are soooo elegant and attractive.

We are getting ducks because we can eat their meat and eggs. Chris figures we can have two a month for dinner given how quickly they mature and reproduce. This does sound like a fun delicacy to grow yourself, though there is the butchering process, which I have done once before with chicken, and it was not a task one should do twice a month. So we will need freezer space. And a new coop for them. And a bathtub for them, and....and....

But summer is coming and if there ever was a season for projects, 'tis the one. 

Mama Fiddles

My 2nd fiddle recital at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley yesterday

 'Ook Pic' is a traditional Canadian tune

Avery Gets Around

Avery has been playing with his friends lately. Here he is with neighbor, Astrid, having his first front yard naked water play.

At Sabine's garden, taking care of things.

Noticing the beer on the table...

Approaching the beer, with curly lettuce stuck to his chinny chin chin.

Ready to beer pounce,

Gotcha!

Dinner with the Vetterlein Alessios

Kissing piglet

 Break dancing for Auntie Ilyse

Dancing to Orange Sherbert at The Ashkenaz with friend, Jude

Protecting Jude from vigorous beach ball players 

The Sunday Times

The Dog Tug Game

Okay, so this is totally not allowed, but I had to snap a picture before laying down the law.

But Mama, I thought my was beer on the table,

The Book's Cover

Our front yard was not destined to grow our food, so we put it off for a while. Now, after shedding sweat and having cracked fingers to show for it, we have a beautiful woodland garden that matches our shire home. It even provides a small patio area so we can watch Avery as he bikes on the sidewalk (which is not so far away). 

Here were the basic steps of the project: 

1. dig up grass and ivy

2. terrace the space into three tiers

3. order and place heavy Napa Basalt rocks and gravel patio (4 tons of rock)

4. cover with weed-block cloth

5. order and plant vegetation (thank you to our neighbor and landscaper, Sonia)

6. set up irrigation system

7. lay mulch (8 cubic yards of it)

(and for those of you visiting this site for Avery: some pony riding in the nude.)

Chris threw in a little French Drain while he was at it.

I just have to say that Chris is one industrious, creative husband. Avery and I are lucky ducks.