In love (and maybe not in the way you might think)

You know the cliche of a man and woman running towards each other in slow motion, through long, waving grass with wild flowers, backlight by a warm glow of slanting sun rays, a romantic sound track playing in the background?

That's how I feel about my ducks, or rather, that's how they feel about me, I think.  Whenever they see me in the yard, they run towards me, quacking excitedly, their whole bodies shaking with their wobbly gait.

It gives my heart a little jump, feeling so openly loved by someone.  Not that my husband doesn't love me - he does, deeply, but he just doesn't show it quite in the same enthusiastic, quacking, completely exuberant way.

Frankly, it would freak me out if he did what my ducks do, and I am perfectly happy with the way he proves his love to me.

Anyway: my ducks.  I love 'em.   They're called Ancona ducks, an endangered breed, and they eat tons of slugs, are always happy and showing it, give me gorgeous eggs, and are beautiful.

I wrote an article on how to raise ducks in this month's issue of Grow Northwest Magazine.  You can read it here.

In the video below I'm, running away from them while trying to film how they chase me so they can hug me and kiss me beg for food.

Some way or other, my days are spent nurturing animals, children, plants, and my friends.  I like nurturing and mothering these beings: feeding, grooming, watering, cuddling, supporting and teaching them.  I feel blessed to lead such a rich life with all these souls in them that love me and let me love them.

Some of them are so darn cute, how could you not be in love with them?

And when I've had enough of nurturing and it feels like too much and I just want to be left alone, I go hide in the garden to water my newly planted seeds, or I sneak some chocolate in the greenhouse.  And then my beloved rubs my feet.  See why I'm in love with him?  He's cute, eh?  (Although I assure you, I don't quack or wobble towards him when I see him).

The goats have been getting lots of attention and visits from enthusiastic little humans.  And since the grass is growing so beautifully, we've been leading them to pasture so they can chomp on the green stuff.  The babies were clueless where to go the first time around, so they had to be carried.

I will leave you with images from a day at the river with our inflatable kayak, my thriving seedlings, and a random photo of dough rising in front of the wood stove, in the midst of our chaotic and messy kitchen.

What or who are you in love with these days?