Duck Family
We’ve all had many experiences on the freeway. Mostly "Freeway Eye Poppers" are horrible accidents that occurred or almost occurred. This is slightly different. We were traveling near the town of Petaluma, on the freeway; it was quite a few years ago. Part of the present freeway was not complete. They were trying to change the lay of it so it would go right through a great swamp. There was water on both sides and they were building up the route so it could be a four-lane freeway.
The traffic was intense that morning, we were just one of many. Two cars ahead of us began applying their brakes, then we started to brake, the traffic started slowing in all four lanes. All we could see ahead was a duck coming up over the freeway with a row of baby ducks, while another duck followed the little ones. They were crossing the freeway and had literally stopped the traffic. As they came across that monstrous freeway of early-morning traffic, hundreds of cars stopped! They waddled across, babies trailing along, eight or ten of them with the father bringing up the rear. People got a real thrill out of that "Freeway Eye Popper!
Robin Attack
One day as a little boy I was riding my pony down the Burton Road, east of the Burton Church, when I came to the Burton Cemetery. Wild roses were grown over the gate, it was sequestered in behind some big pine trees, and vines had grown over most of the tombstones. On the top of the gate there was a robin having a fit. She was diving at her nest, which she had built on the cemetary gate. I was curious and thought “Gee, what’s going on”. I immediately tied my pony and ran over there. When I got there she veered away from me. She was trying to get a mouse out of her nest but it was to late. There were three bluish green eggs, but one was already broken open and the mouse had sucked the yolk out of it. It looked like another one might’ve been damaged too. The robin was trying desperately to attack that mouse. This was certainly an “eye popper”! I waited a little bit and when all had quieted down I got on my pony and went home.
Later my mom and I went back to see what had happened. We examined the nest. It was beautifully constructed. Mom thought it was one of the nicest nests she had ever seen. The mother robin was still hanging around, very disconcerted that her life had been disturbed.
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My husband and I used to live on a small rural 3 acre parcel. Our kitchen overlooked the land and I enjoyed looking out the window while sipping my morning coffee. I'd gaze out at a small hill covered in tall grass. A path was worn through the grass that led to our large veggie garden.
ReplyDeleteMy husband was meandering to the garden when all of a sudden he was running through the high grass, flailing his arms and trying to lift his legs high enough to run fast. Then he started shrieking some funny noises. I had no idea what was going on. He looked like he was trying to learn how to fly!
I couldn't help but break out into hysterical laughter. He ran and ran until he finally made it to the door and safely came inside. He told me that he had come across a baby turkey in the high grass and had almost stepped on it. At the last moment of that step, his foot felt something underneath and he pulled back just in time to not squash the baby bird. In the meantime, the mamma turkey saw what was going on and chased him away.