Hi Panthra, I really feel for you, because I know how I have felt in the past when one of my ducks have been sick and I didn't know what to do. What kind of duck is Abby? It sounds like some kind of infection...has she been around any new ducks lately that might have given her some kind of disease? I use to have a pekin and she was such a sweet and loving duck. She was sick when she was little and after she grew up she got a bad infection in her leg and it spread all over her body. We even carried her to the vet before it got too bad. We had been giving her tetracycline med. and they told us to continue that, but she passed away one night with her best buddy Troy. I was heart broken, but there was nothing else we could have done. I know you said there isn't any vets that see ducks in your area, but maybe you could call one over the phone and talk with them. If you find one and even if it's a few hours away you could still carry her because she's worth it if it will save her little life. Apple also had gooey stuff coming from her nose and she had yellow gooky stuff running from her eyes; I wiped her eyes and nose out several times each day. She also got to where she was too weak to walk. She would preen herself too, but only as she was sitting down; she couldn't stand up. She use to be a healthy little duck that was very happy that just enjoyed life and being around her duck friends, but all that changed in such a very short time...I miss her so much.. Apple would still eat though..she even had eaten a few hours right before she died... I don't know what to tell you...I hope I haven't scared you with telling you all this about Apple; I'm sure Abby will be alright, maybe you should try to find someone at least who knows about ducks and see if there is any way you could possibly get her to a vet asap. I'd hate to hear something bad happened to her. You really seem like you love her a lot like I love my ducks.. Is Abby your only duck, or do you have more?? I'm sure somebody else will see this post and reply back to you soon..... GoodLuck with Abby! Genny

Joe, you always take beautiful pictures. That one there is great, your daughter is so cute. Have you heard the country song Watching you? She's watching everything you do, kid's are good like that they also hear everything, especially thing's you don't want them to hear and then catch you out somewhere in public or around grandmas or grandpas then say a bad word they heard LOL. My dear grand daughter said H***'s bells one day and I asked my daughter where she heard that. Well, one day I caught myself saying H***'s bells and I could have died when I realized my grand daughter learned it from me. I can tell you I cleaned up my act fast and confessed to my daughter with apologies. This one is about me when I was very young around 3. If I saw a woman with a big tummy I would ask why it was big, my dad came up with an answer. He told me that it was big because she'd eaten green banana's. Well, next time my mom and I was at the laundry mat there was a pregnant woman there and I went up to the woman and told her (I know what you've been doing) LOL.

Michelle, I am so sorry your eggs were lost. Yes, I have wrens. They usually choose the box by the pond and leave the boxes in the field for the blues and tres. The blues build way out in the field and the wren won't go out there. The tres usually take the 2 boxes in the yard and they have a system to keep the wren from raiding their box. The tres take turns protecting the nest box. The male will sit on the sparrow spooker when the female is out hunting bugs. When she comes back to the nest, he takes off looking for bugs. They never leave the box unattended. Pretty smart my little tres. The bluebirds do not use this system and I am afraid that if they choose a box in the yard, I too may lose eggs to the wrens. I have pulled sticks out all spring and summer and I missed a day. Not only was the nest complete, there was an egg in it, so I left it alone. Again, I am sorry for your loss. I have not used a wren guard, but next year I may have to. I hope the dang fledglings don't come back to my yard. Karen

It was chocolate with homemade (not by me of course) vanilla frosting with exactly 12 chocolate sprinkles. Then I had the strawberry one as well buy failed to count the sprinkles as I felt too stressed at the time. I had two because the first one did not do the trick. PO1 I have no desire to add to my stressful life by contacting my dad's other children. We were not raised together. Maybe it isn't their fault but their biological mother locked me and my brother in a closet for days during our visits to my dad's. I was 8 the last time I let her close and lock the door on me. So no thanks. I have no need for reuniting and reliving the horror I sustained while my dad was married to their mother. I'm sure she abused them as well but they did move away with her and have continued to stay in the same area as her so I bet there is some loyalty to her, she is their mother. I know where they are. My sister keeps in touch with them. My sister and I are so different. She is best friends to this day with a girl who stole her bike, pushed her in the street and beat her face in. That girl would be no where near my face after that attack but my sister is forgiving. The same reason she tolerates my dad's inability to commit to being her father for longer than a week after 40 yrs. What surprises me is that she was 13 when he left and so she was very effected by it but she just has this need to know all of her blood biological relatives. The same way that she is attached to antiques and old pictures. I honestly don't care for the junk. I have no attachment to blood ties - maybe because I am 100% effected by being raised and loved by people who are not blood related to me. I have an entire family of non blood related people through my stepdad. My sister is not close to them because she was older but I was still in diapers. I don't feel the need to go off and find all of my dad's offspring. I'm sure there are more out there. He is good at reproducing. I just feel no attachment to them. Maybe I am weird but I just feel nothing. One half brother is dying. He has aids. He doesn't take care of himself. He prostetutes.. Why would I want to even say I'm related to someone that is possibly spreading a disease because he is ignorant and angry? I have NO desire. I dont care to know the other one either. The one time I did talk to him, he told me he remembered that I stole his toys. I was 5! He was still holding it against me. I had to steal something otherwise I was locked in a closet or not fed. I needed something to draw attention to myself! I have overcome that abuse. It never really defined me. I never really had issues. I was a great kid. So was my brother. My brother went on to serve our country freely and proudly for the last 17 years. So proud of him! We both overcame it and although I know it wasn't their fault what happened, I just don't want to bring that back in to my life. As far as my dad, I just don't know what I want right now. I considered writing him a letter and just calling it the end. No more contact. Move on. But the other part of me is scared I'll need his kidney one day. Actually that was a joke. I think putting it in writing makes it final. I don't want to hurt my dad. I don't want my words to burn into his eyeballs but I'm certain I just don't want a relationship with him. I just don't know if I want or need to tell him. I have nothing to get off my chest. I have told him all of the things I am sharing with you all, already. He knows it all and all he can do is say I'm sorry, again. I don't want him to say I am sorry. I know he is. I just have no interest. Do you think I'll change my mind as I get older? Not sure. JMT for the record, I agree with you 100%. I already said that and I don't think you need my approval but I completely get what you are saying. A bio parent that gives their child up for adoption is no more a deadbeat than a man who gave up his rights for the same reasons. Just because you both didn't give your child up doesn't change the circumstances. Maybe it would be different to PO1 if you BOTH gave the child up for adoption. Then you are selfless and did what was best for the child. For some reason we as a society say that because MOM kept the baby then dad should have to keep the baby too. But you have opened my eyes to that just isn't how it is nor should it be. I would probably have been so much better off had my dad just walked away and never looked back. Instead he wanted to drag us around to each girlfriend/new wife he had where I sustained abuse and guess what... Dad wasn't home anyway. He was always at work.