Ben & Jerry Come to Writers Nest
"Hi Belinda," it was my friend Carolyn on the phone. "Be honest, okay? Is it okay if I bring the ducklings to writers group tonight?"
The ducklings? She had said it as though she was saying, "The kids." Like it was normal to bring ducklings to a writers group meeting. Like I knew them or something! She had apparently been writing about them on FB but I had not been getting her posts.
The Rouen ducklings are named Ben and Jerry and Carolyn said she is imprinted on them and that they follow her everywhere. She hoped they wouldn't poop on my rug though.
"Bring them on over," I said, laughing, and promptly went downstairs to tell Bren, Tippy and Tori that they were coming.
Brenda looked up from a box she was packing and said, "Ducklings? What kind of a person brings ducklings?" but added, "That's just jealousy talking."
As 7 o'clock approached, writer friends arrived in groups of two or three. I hope they didn't feel like second best as I rushed to the door each time I heard it open, only to find the ducklings weren't here yet!
Carolyn arrived last and gently put down a cage wrapped in a blue and white checkered blanket, opened a door and let Ben and Jerry out.
Tippy came upstairs to see them and was smitten immediately. Just one week old, they walked about, staying close each other and to Carolyn, while cheeping at a high pitch.
They were adorable in the way that freshly born creatures are: fluffy, and wide eyed, brand new to the world.
Carolyn explained that they are going with her on a speaking engagement at World Vision tomorrow. They are her object lesson.
Since Carolyn is a teacher as well as a writer, and grew up on a farm, she said that she gets ducklings every year for the children. "They need to be in water every day. I put them in a see through pool," she said," because kids just need to see them paddling."
"Sometimes they're so busy paddling, and then other times they're like, oh yeah, I can just float."
I thought that sounded familiar!
Ironically, Carolyn said she gets them at one week old, but "ducklings just never get ugly."
As we carried on with the purpose of the evening--sharing and discussing writing, Ben and Jerry chirped contentedly nearby in their cage. It was a very soothing background noise.
I learned much about ducks that I didn't know before, including the fact that mother ducks call from the ground to the ducklings, to jump from the nest, before they can fly. I found a You Tube video (posted below) of them doing this. What trust these little birds must have in their
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)!
The official theme of the evening was "Vacation," (I never did finish my vacation memoir,) but the unofficial thread that wove through the evening was becoming childlike again and all that implies. As we laughed at the antics of Ben and Jerry and some of us even dared to pick them up, we were children, if only for an evening.
Thank you Ben and Jerry--and Carolyn!
The ducklings? She had said it as though she was saying, "The kids." Like it was normal to bring ducklings to a writers group meeting. Like I knew them or something! She had apparently been writing about them on FB but I had not been getting her posts.
"Bring them on over," I said, laughing, and promptly went downstairs to tell Bren, Tippy and Tori that they were coming.
Brenda looked up from a box she was packing and said, "Ducklings? What kind of a person brings ducklings?" but added, "That's just jealousy talking."
Carolyn arrived last and gently put down a cage wrapped in a blue and white checkered blanket, opened a door and let Ben and Jerry out.
Tippy came upstairs to see them and was smitten immediately. Just one week old, they walked about, staying close each other and to Carolyn, while cheeping at a high pitch.
They were adorable in the way that freshly born creatures are: fluffy, and wide eyed, brand new to the world.Carolyn explained that they are going with her on a speaking engagement at World Vision tomorrow. They are her object lesson.
Since Carolyn is a teacher as well as a writer, and grew up on a farm, she said that she gets ducklings every year for the children. "They need to be in water every day. I put them in a see through pool," she said," because kids just need to see them paddling."
"Sometimes they're so busy paddling, and then other times they're like, oh yeah, I can just float."
I thought that sounded familiar!
Ironically, Carolyn said she gets them at one week old, but "ducklings just never get ugly."As we carried on with the purpose of the evening--sharing and discussing writing, Ben and Jerry chirped contentedly nearby in their cage. It was a very soothing background noise.
I learned much about ducks that I didn't know before, including the fact that mother ducks call from the ground to the ducklings, to jump from the nest, before they can fly. I found a You Tube video (posted below) of them doing this. What trust these little birds must have in their Matthew 18:1-3
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Who Is the Greatest?
18 About that time the followers came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in God’s kingdom?”
2 Jesus called a little child to come to him. He stood the child in front of the followers. 3 Then he said, “The truth is, you must change your thinking and become like little children. If you don’t do this, you will never enter God’s kingdom.
Thank you Ben and Jerry--and Carolyn!
Comments
They teach us much, as you said so well.