An owl has taken up residence in our backyard.
It’s sidewalk chalk season, and my daughter demanded that I draw her a duck. I complied, scribbling the feathered flapper below. “That’s not a duck!” she complained. Aside from the mysterious goiter, I think it’s reasonably duck-like. But then, there’s no pleasing a three-year-old.
In recent weeks, I’ve been resisting the urge to get a pickup truck. And after spending 15 minutes watching a stranger’s dog (Hank, below) fetch a stick in a cold lake, I’m now resisting the urge to get a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Note: My CBR envy waned considerably when I saw Hank’s owner put the wet and stinky pooch in the backseat of her car.
As media consumption goes, what’s nerdier than watching a documentary on ducks? How about listening to a live-stream of the National Book Awards while watching a documentary on ducks? Guilty and guilty, your honor.
Seriously, though, An Original DUCKumentary, which aired on PBS earlier this month, is well worth a viewing. It even inspired me to photograph a few quackers in my neighborhood.
I took a few photos at the Putnam County Fair Parade, and this one emerged as my favorite, narrowly edging out a shot of ALF in a Shriners hat.
I have a story in this month’s Indiana Living Green about a new initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of America’s national parks. The piece highlights the eco-friendly efforts of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, which is where I took the photo below of my dog, Emerson. Note the nuclear cooling tower in the background. Note, too, the look of disdain on my hound’s face. I suspect he was honked at me for keeping him on a short leash.