You just never know what the heck can happen when watering the church lawn. HHH and I have become the unofficial gardeners for the property. When we took over the job, HHH decided the dead spots in the lawn needed some TLC. And so, intensive watering began.
At first , we’d just go in the morning and night.
OY VEY.
I’m turning into my dad, who loved to water his church’s lawn at 3:30 AM. Over weeks of consistently visiting the church property in the middle of the night, he met a homeless man named Michael. At one point, Michael insisted that his friend, Elmer, must certainly be an angel because no human would take the time to water the lawn in the middle of the night. In many ways, my dad was Michael’s angel all those years ago.
Fast forward to our little church. While getting the new lawn to sprout, we brought the empty vegetable garden to life. Today, we’re growing two types of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, strawberries, marigolds, and peppers. The hope is that the extra food will help those in need over the summer. Everything’s growing like crazy.
The Meditation Garden is also benefiting as James comes out to rake and trim every night. Things are looking quite nice here in our little bit of heaven.
Today, HHH and I were having a great talk about the price of groceries. The sticker shock of todays purchases was something that needed discussing. Rib Eye Steak? $29/pound. Bacon, on sale, $7.00/12 oz. And, the list went on, until we a young woman snuck up behind us.
“Is this your duck?”
What the heck? Homeless people that think we are angels, we might expect. But, a duck? A honest to goodness female mallard duck strolling through the very dry meditation garden?
“”Quack, quack, quack” as it interjected itself into our afternoon.
As the young lady continued on, she told us about reports of two ducks, but now there was just the one. Could she come get it after work? Would we mind? Was it ours?
Well, of course she could have the duck. After all, it wasn’t ours. She went back to the beauty salon, and then, the magic happened. This duck became OUR duck for a short time. It followed HHH around to get drinks of water from the hose. It quacked sassy little things to me. Once showered and refreshed, she spread her wings and wiggled her ducky little tail. If ducks can show gratitude, she did as she enjoyed the cool water.
Strutting her stuff from one side of the garden to the other, she enjoyed a good spray from HHH’s hose. She was one happy duck in a very short time.
I can honestly say, it’s been a very long time since I’ve had such fond feelings for any bird, yet alone a duck. As she sucked water off the ground, she was as happy as we were to meet on a hot and sunny afternoon under the bright blue skies of Northwestern Nevada.
When the hose was put away and it was time to go, we promised each other we wouldn’t look back. Never Look Back. With the two very busy dogs of Winterpast, the last thing we could adopt was this duck.
You just never know what can happen when you give a little of your time at the local church. It might be your day to be blessed with the happy antics of one female mallard. I hope some day you’re that lucky!!
More tomorrow.