Duck Delight

This image of Lewis and the Five Ducklings is cute alright, but it fails to convey the full gestalt of the process that made it possible. This is the story behind the images.

Getting to Know You

It was early April 2003 when Darla, inspired by the sunny 60 degree weather, had a vision that involved me, my camera, our son Lewis, and baby ducks. Being the proactive type, she didn’t keep this dream to herself but instead picked up the phone, called our local farm and ranch supply company, and reserved five of the ducklings scheduled to arrive the following Thursday.

“Only a few dollars per duck,” she explained, having already put her plan into motion without seeking any input from the spouse. “We can keep them in the garage until the weekend.”

Cast of Characters

As Thursday arrived, so did the ducklings...and a cold front…and snow. Not wanting to sound pessimistic I observed that the cold weather couldn’t last forever, “and if we blow a few bucks on on a few ducks – big deal.”

Darla paused. “Actually, I don’t know why but the ducklings ended up being a little more than I was originally told; and the lady at Big R explained that I might as well buy the 5 pound bag of duck food because the $1 bag of food that I was planning to buy only lasts about half a day. The special water dispenser ended up being less expensive by buying it in a set with the feeding tray. And it turns out that ducklings need to stay very warm so I had to buy a 250 watt heat lamp.” She briefly paused again before nonchalantly asking if we had any large waterproof containers.

"You mean like a bowl?" I asked.

"No, more like a large tub. With the cold weather and the snow it’s just too cold for them in the garage. We’ll have to keep them in the house.”

Curious Creatures

At first it was kind of fun having five ducklings in the house. At first. They are admittedly fluffy and cute. And they make a very pleasant chirping noise that sounds like spring time. Yet I would soon learn that to know them is not necessarily to love them. Chirping is only one of the noises ducklings make. The other ones aren't as cute. Let's just say that ducklings get very low scores for personal hygiene. And when you're making your way to the refrigerator in the middle of the night, semi-conscious and temporarily oblivious to the fact that your kitchen has become a makeshift brooder house, it is easy to become convinced that something evil is living in the attic.

Boy vs. Duckling

I opened the blinds Friday morning with a sense of hopeful optimism only to find...more snow. “DAAOOOOOOOE!”

It was downhill from there. It snowed again Saturday. No photos that day – or the next. As Darla and I returned home from church that night we walked in the door, looked at each other, and asked, “WHAT IS THAT SMEL…oh…right…” I tried to think positive. I’d always wanted to try duck soup.

These Ducklings Aren't So Bad

By Sunday morning things had gotten pretty foul. The ducklings in the dining room were killing my appetite. I was starting to feel lightheaded. It was then that Darla hatched a plan to bring the ducklings to school with her on Monday -- so that her 6th graders could "enjoy" them.

“Yeah. That’s it. That’s the ticket!” I exclaimed. Finally, a plan that I liked.

Be Gentle

Monday morning came and an amazing thing happened. The plan worked like a charm. The kids loved the ducklings; they thought the noises were cool; and they wanted to clean the cage! By the end of the day, five skittish ducklings had been transformed into five tame ducklings. Even better, Darla had purchase offers on all five ducks. (She sold them at cost but I know that those six graders would have paid more. Hmmm.)

Duck Deconstruction

By Tuesday, the weather was once again sunny and warm. Darla brought the ducks back to the house for the photo shoot. At first, Lewis was not sure what to make of these soft yellow creatures. Three rolls of film later, he had figured out that he was the boss of them. Probably a good time to wrap things up. We had our duck shots.

Just as I was about to commend my wife on a great idea, she gazed off into the distance and asked, "Don't you think bunnies would be cute next year?" I could see it already: me chasing five rabbits around the yard. I considered objecting but decided the better of it. She probably had them reserved already.

Please, God, Give Me New Parents

The next week Darla's father listened to the tale of Lewis and the Five Ducklings and christened the final shot of the day "Please, God, give me new parents."

Family News Cover Boy, May. 2003

Just three months after Lewis’ debut as cover boy for the Source magazine’s February 2003 Mens Issue, he was selected for the June 2003 issue of Family News. It helped that The Mom knew the publisher!