A few years ago, Mabel and Olive came to stay at the Agape Haus Studio gardens. My husband’s BFF needed to re-home his daughter’s science project ducks. Gene, my husband’s friend, had thought they had found the perfect home for the ducks until he and his daughter heard “This is great! My wife loves duck.”
As in, *eating* duck.
Obviously, that was a no-go. I became the true perfect candidate. I had gardens, chickens and a chicken coop, a love of birds and a somewhat patient husband. So Mabel and Olive drove 5 hours to get to their new home in the Hill Country.
The two ducks enjoyed themselves immensely. Before I knew it, two more ducks were dumped by the studio back door. The little pack of ducks were in duck heaven, as they walked, all in a row, around the studio grounds. Eventually, the two stray ducks went to live at the river, due to poor manners and rude duck behavior.. Mabel and Olive were back to being old bachelors, spending their time playing in the kiddie pool or eating all the chicken scratch.
A few nights ago, Mabel was killed by a varmint. . 🙁 The deep heartbreak we all felt for Olive was overwhelming. Mable and Olive had grown up together, and had never been separated. When Olive couldn’t walk well, Mabel protected him and stood by his side. True friends and companions.
Olive spent the next few days looking for Mabel, quacking endlessly. Ducks don’t like to be alone, neither do people. I understand his pain. By the way, did I forget to mention Mabel and Olive were two boy ducks? I named them after the two Irish Labs on YouTube long before I knew they were two males.
Anyhow, poor Olive is heartbroken to have lost his forever friend.
After hearing about the loneliness of Olive, my friend Karalina and I concocted a plan. Karalina had two “senior” female ducks we would bring Olive. Last night, Stan and Karalina brought the two Juliettes to my Romeo duck.. It turned out to be a miserable mess. Olive was WAY too excited….if you know what I mean. Olive was extremely over-zealous in his affections,, and ended up chasing off his two new lady friends. Stan, Karalina and I had to re-capture the two Juliettes in the dark. Poor girls….they were traumatized by love. Olive clearly was going to have to grow old as an old bachelor.
I’m off to go let the chickens out. I think I will sit quietly with Olive, and try to explain to him the ways of real love….
“Love is patient and love is kind. Love does not envy, love does not parade itself and is not puffed up. Love does not behave rudely, does not seek it’s own, is not provoked and thinks of no evil. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Love never fails.” —1st Corinthians 13:4-8
Happy Gardening, my friends. Remember, love is still the greatest commandment.