“A writer without a pen would be like a duck without water.” – Donovan-Scottish musician (1946-)
“We underestimate our people. Given the challenge, most of our people will do it, especially the youngsters who take to technology like ducks to water.” –Arundhati Bhattacharya, former chairperson of the State Bank of India (1956-)
In the not so early morning, I stood at the kitchen window. Temperatures were in the high 60s and the sun shone brightly, lighting up the redbud trees across the little pond. Their reflection crept across the surface of the pond looking almost electric. Everywhere I go now, redbud are bursting out all over. Maybe the rains brought more trees or more lush trees along with the warming weather. Their color will not last long; soon turning to leaves. The trees line alongside
Highway 82 traveling between West Lowndes and through Oktibbeha are full of redbuds. I planted a couple of redbuds when I lived in Oktibbeha in the Sessums community. A farmer neighbor suggested I plant my redbuds along the property’s tree line. He said, “Redbuds like to be on the edge of a tree line. Be mindful. They are a slow growing tree.”
Soon I was back at the kitchen window filling a second cup of coffee. Sam had been fishing probably four hours by then. Funny thing about fishermen, to fishermen fishing is a competitive sport whereas the homemaker considers fishing provision for the freezer. It was a beautiful day to be out on the water. Hardly can I blame him. I went back to sipping my coffee and gazing out the window when I saw a splash then it was gone. A large fish I imagined. There on the bank were four or five large turtles basking in the sun. Then out from the swamp irises sprouting along the bankside glided four ducks, two males and two females.
Every spring we have ducks come and check out the pond for habitat. They never stay. These ducks didn’t seem to get along as one male would chase off the second female.
The ducks always leave us. I attribute their leaving to the close proximity to the gravel road where cars, trucks, tractors and garbage trucks drive by. Surely, they require something more peaceful for raising their young. There are also night predators that may ease through the woods in the night.
That night I walked out on the porch overlooking the pond. It was dark except for the moon shining through the trees. It was a beautiful bright moon. Then I started seeing flashes of light high in the trees, then another, and another. Lightning bugs! Oh, the joy they brought and memories. Memories of catching lightning bugs and putting them in a jar at my grandmother’s house. We poked little holes in the lid and the next morning I awakened only to see all my lightning bugs on the ceiling.
Back here in the Prairie, sure enough, by the next morning all the ducks were gone. The following morning a pair returned to the pond but only for a short while. Our duck visitors are here today and gone tomorrow.
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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