If the duck is the mother, it would be a shame to deprive the ducklings of their mother. Baby ducks need their mother to teach them to swim and eat like ducks. She has to rub oil on their bodies for them (from hers) to keep them from sinking until they can grow enough to produce their own. Is it possible to put the ducklings in a cage, set the cage near the area where you are seeing the duck to see if she/he shows interest without it being able to harm them? Make sure you watch from a safe distance so nothing else approaches/harms them. I have had ducks visit my backyard to collect the bird seeds that fall from my feeders. What are you feeding the babies? A link that might be useful: www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-Ducklings

I have no experience with ducks... and this is my first year with geese too. To a certain extent, it depends on the age of the geese. Mine are goslings... one Pilgrim two months old and two Toulouse/American Buff crosses who are several weeks younger. Mine are eating organic chicken grower morning and night and a good grass, clover, dandelion "lawn" all day long. My understanding is that they can eat all the greens they want but that the grain supplement should be limited to what they will eat in half an hour in the morning and a bit more than that to tide them over the night. (Mine go in a pen in the chicken house for the night to keep them safe... but I understand geese prefer to graze intermittently 24/7.) They also need grit for their gizzards so they can process all that greenstuff. I wasn't sure what size so I mixed grower grit and hen grit and let them choose what they want. I would be interested in hearing input from others who have geese about the type and quantity of feed they give to their geese.

Ahhhh yes! Those were the days when kids *were* kids! I remember my kids doing some of the same things, like playing outside until 10 at night, and not worrying about them being kidnapped. Parma, rat fink~I forgot that one, but remember saying it. LOL And my best friend of 50 years who lives back in IL still says supper, as do most small town mid-westerners. And then there were the 'grillers'. Those were the tough guys(and a few girls)who wore the leather jackets, and we would cross the street if they were walking on our side. Moonshadow, yep, lighting bugs, and we would catch them and put them in a jar!! Now if I find a bug in the house, i'll pick it up and put it outside, even an ant. I remember when you couldn't buy pantyhose, and had to wear that god-awful garder belt(no lace, plain elastic)and hose w/no stretch in them....but maybe seams. I wouldn't trade those days for anything!(((()))))

Yes, I do remember this home featured in House Beautiful. I must say it looked much better there, on the glossy paper and with the close-ups..I was impressed. I didn't necessarily like every detail, but I liked the general feel. As for the fiddle leaf fig-mine also got awfully tall. Now I start worrying, because new place will have lower ceilings.. I also don't know how we will get it there once the new house is ready. One of us will have to sit in a mover's truck probably, holding this tree...