We were coming round the last bend in the road, when Hank took off for the pond. I could hear ducks quacking which had caused Hank to investigate. There were three Mallard ducks in all. A female followed by two drakes. The drakes looked like they were chasing the female who was doing all the quacking. She did kind of a skipping swimming maneuver which seemed to keep her one step ahead of the drakes.

Leave me alone she quacked. I’m tired. I was up all night sitting on my eggs. I am in no mood for this foolishness. Quack Quack.  

Hank ran around the pond and stepped onto the Flintstones where he tipped his head to one side. He was thinking that the female duck seemed to be in a bad mood. Suddenly, the drakes stopped chasing the female duck as she swam towards Hank quacking away.

You would not believe what I have to deal with on a daily basis. Those two are unbelievable. They spend all of their time either chasing me or fluffing their feathers. Yeah, their good looking as drakes go. But help with the eggs. Are you serious. Once the eggs hatch, they’re gone. Look at them now, checking their reflections in the pond. And by the way, what’s up with those humans? What do they even do all day? I don’t get it.
Yeah, I know Hank replied. I spend all my time trying to train them and it’s pretty hopeless. But they give me treats, let me sleep on their couch, sometimes the big bed. It could be worse.

Are they gone yet, the female duck asked Hank. She didn’t dare turn around.

They’re still in the pond but they seem pretty much into each other. 

They’re gay. I knew it.

A shout out to Maya Angelou who is in goddess heaven. Ms. Angelou died yesterday, May 28 at the age of 86.  I have my students read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings in the Social Movement class. Ms. Angelou’s best advice is to say thank you. Thank you for the day, the hour and the minute. Not poor me, not how could you say that thing, do that thing, think that thing…..No. No. Not. Rather, say thank you.

Tiled floor in the works

Thank you.

Good question to ask of oneself when you hear strange noises in the night. My first thought was Craig must be putting equipment away. But at 10pm? I roused myself out of bed and looked out the window. Down below was a big black bear trying to pry the lid off of the  can filled with bird seed. I told him to go away. Did I mention that he was big? I called to Craig who came upstairs. That’s the biggest bear so far. Hank was asleep in the den. I told Craig that we cannot send our beloved dog outside to deal with the bear. What are you going to do? I said. Meanwhile the bear had managed to lift the lid enough that he was able to get a good grip on the bird seed bag with his teeth. He dragged the can up the hill beyond the playhouse.  Nothing to be done that night.

The next day Craig announced that he had gone looking for the can. He found it about a 1/4 mile from the house. The bear had given up on getting the bag out of the can. Was Hank with you? I said. Yeah, but he was no help, Craig replied. Hmmmm, I thought to myself.

I am so disappointed in my tomatoes this year. Planted 60 seeds, five different varieties. Most grew about three inches then stopped. By May, it’s usually like the Amazon rain forest in the kitchen.  I think I slipped up by not using Miracle Gro for all of the seedlings.

On the local political front, the St. Johnsbury School lost it’s third budget vote.  Lots of finger-pointing and name calling which is not helpful and only succeeds in giving people more reasons to not support the school budget. Oh, so and so thinks I’m an angry white man? What!  I should get off my ass and vote? Look whose voting now….There are 750 kids enrolled in the k-8 school compared to 1,000 when my own kids were there. The school boasts a hefty administrative staff including Superintendent and Co-Principals.  There is also a high percentage of children with special needs and behavioral challenges. Possible 25%? It’s one of the reasons so many families are choosing to enroll their kids in local private schools.  Not conducive to a democratic society.