To The Rescue

We have 8 new babies -- ducklings, that is.  They've been the first topic of conversation on the temple grounds this week - missionaries, employees, and visitors alike!

Do you remember awhile back when I described "Pato," the lonely, single, friendly white duck that has lived on the temple grounds since long before we got here? (May 12th, Real Fortune Cookies)  A photo of the temple just wasn't complete without a picture of Pato paddling around on the pond. He created almost the same effect in the photo as a beautiful white swan - very serene and tranquil.

The Manor House

Until recently, Pato was the only duck who had outfoxed the foxes that come onto the property occasionally. (Well, who knows how often:  I'm sure I'm asleep when they're out there prowling around.) In fact, just a few weeks ago, in the middle of the morning, several temple workers saw a fox trotting across the wide expanse of lawn in front of the Manor House with a stray mallard in it's jaws. The mallard had only moved in on the grounds a few days before.


I digress.... In our blog back in May, I mentioned how excited we were a rather homely looking black duck had flown in and become buddies with Pato. Turns out that they became the proud parents of eight of the cutest little ducklings last week. Our sister missionaries were so excited! Oh yeah, I know they grow up and can get annoying, but that doesn't matter right now. At the moment, they are a source of pure delight to almost everyone living, working, or visiting around here (except the gardeners).

Just a day after the new ducklings were first spotted, though, they became the source of high drama. Don hadn't been out to the pond to see them yet, so he took a walk out there late in the afternoon when things were quiet in the Visitors' Centre. A few minutes later, he came rushing back with the news that the little ducklings had gone over a small waterfall and were trapped in some water just this side of the culvert that leads down a drain. Immediately, it was Sister Cabrera (from Chile) and Sister Rodrigues (from Portugal) to the rescue! They grabbed a box out of our supply closet and found some rubber gloves in the cleaning closet and took off toward the pond. Gratefully, Sister Rodrigues thought to grab her camera, too, so we have some footage of what happened next.

Click on the three black boxes below to see the saga unfold:

Sister Cabrera heading to the pond.

Our momma duck couldn't figure out what to do.

Momma and Poppa would have followed Don anywhere with that box full of babies.

One little, two little, three little ducklings...

Our hero!

So, I think this qualifies as Sister Cabrera and Sister Rodrigues' service project for the week. What do you think?                                                      ~Pat~