Confession This afternoon the kids and I ventured out to one of my favorite places, a gorgeous college campus about 15 minutes from our home. There is a picturesque swan lake with ducks, swans and the occasional flock of Canadian geese. The kiddos love going out there to "feed da ducks bwead." It is also thrilling for the kids to see the UNBELIEVABLE number of tame deer who are so accustomed to the traffic through the campus that they do not budge when you pull over to watch them. This afternoon I counted 61 deer in a large field we drove past...that was not a typo: 61!
I decided today to take them without a stroller or wagon for the first time. Since it was just me & them, we had lots of talks about staying away from the water's edge on the drive to the lake. The kids did a great job honoring my wishes and giggled like crazy at the ducks as they gobbled up the bread we provided them. And then came the swans...and they really freaked me out. I was so afraid they were going to reach out and peck us. I realized today I am actually AFRAID of swans.
I am embarassed to admit this. My fears are a pretty short list: snakes & swans. It makes me laugh just to type that.I came home and googled for pictures of swans (I definitely wasn't getting up close to take any). I found LOTS of pictures of them attacking. I felt strangely validated.
So bring on the spiders, the mice, the bugs and the boogeymen...but keep those swans AWAY from me!
9 comments:
Being pecked by a swan is no fun at all. They are especially scary to a kid - think of it at your eye level. Steer clear!
perri
Perri- That makes me feel better, because as I clutched the kids close I worried that I was being ridiculous. But they are taller (and seriously probably weigh more) than my kiddos. They are also very aggressive. YIKES!
so now you know why we loved going to school there...the beauty of the campus draws you in. (except the swans i guess!) :)
That is so funny because I am the same way. I have seen them when they are mad and every since I don't want to get near them.
I am also the same way. Ducks and swans really freak me out too. The boys love watching the ducks but I'm usually ready to LEAVE!!!
OH you are right, my friends had them in the pond on there land and they attacked my daughter and pecked her legs!! We have been leary ever since. You are validated!!
normally the swans come to eat, then the ducks run them off to eat, then the geese come honking and run off the ducks.
I am jealous you were at swan lake. We are coming up sometime this fall. I can't wait!
OK, Jennifer, after reading your post yesterday, I decided to take Anna Miles and Davis to feed the ducks at a nearby pond this morning. Davis wanted the whole loaf and was having the absolute BEST time feeding them and talking to them (there were about 50 at our ankles). I started to get nervous myself because there literally were about 50 of them surrounding us. I said "let's get back in the stroller" and I think I made AM and D nervous too. After I realized that maybe I had instilled fear, I said "do y'all want to get back out and feed the rest to the ducks"? "NO". They decided they wanted to eat the rest of the loaf instead of feeding it to the ducks. Can ducks/geese bite????
So you might have protected your kids from tall scarry swans, but I think that I might have made mine scared of ducks! SAD!
..Marianna
I totally understand your fear! When I was little, I was chased through my grandmother's house by an angry duck! And a goose attacked my friend when at a park when we were older. You are totally validated! Your children are adorable!!! I've followed your blog for a few months now and really enjoy reading about them. And I thought a 3 year old and a 6 month old were a handful... Thanks for sharing your family with us!
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