Eight years ago, I brought home the first set of ducklings to the farm.............
with one of these being, Annabelle. Only 2 inches high, soft, pale, yellow fuzz, bright orange tiny feet, a pale pink beak, and louder than all of the rest. As the years went by, she laid many eggs, and tried to sit one out to be a mother..............for ............30 minutes..........then gave up, for a refreshing dip in the pond...............never to return to the egg or to motherhood. Somehow through all of these years, she has managed to escape death from sickness and from predators, unlike her other duck family, and has lived to see many new chicks and ducklings arrive to the barnyard. I have noticed in these past few months, the limping, the slow pace she walks instead of running, and the more settling down to sleep, instead of chasing bugs..............and I knew..............any day now.................. No matter how much I know that death will come, and no matter how much I have seen it happen, it always hurts even worse than the first time around. Death to the creatures that live here is just something I suppose I will never be able to get used to. I found Annabelle, the other morning, very still and peaceful, with the all familiar duck smile still on her beak,..................gone............... to some other happy pond. The barnyard is quiet, with only the crowing of the roosters, and the low chattering of the drakes that was once Annabelle's company. I still look for her, to be floating in her pond when I come home at the end of the day, I think I still her her loud protesting quack at some hen who has invaded her nest................Maybe............next spring...........new ducklings will arrive and each will touch my heart............as they always do.............but I know there will always be a place in my heart for Annabelle.
23 comments:
I really do know this sadness. I am sorry for your loss. Your Annabelle sounds a bit like Beatrix Potters' Jemima Puddleduck.
The Annabelles do add to our lives immeasurably don't they?
Sorry for your loss - our animals really do steal a tiny bit of our hearts when they go - but OH what joy they give for the time we are with them.
Hugs to you, Kathleen. It sounds like Annabelle brought you much joy during her life. I can understand how much you'll miss her.
Hello Kathleen
Annebelle sounds like she was one of the family. Life is all the better with animals and we don't realise how much they touch us until they are gone.
Bev.xoxo
Rest in peace, Annabelle.
i use to have one duckling to raise each spring when young.
i am partial to ducks.
goodby annabelle.
Thanks for your visit. This is a sad story...I too hope next year will be better there, life can be sad for little animals trying to make it.
It is inevitable, but you're right - it still hurts so much when it happens. The joys they give give us, though, so overwhelm the pain we feel when they leave us that it balances somehow. We love our animals and they love us.
Annabelle lived and died knowing you loved her...she was blessed.
Patwys
What a sweet touching post (o:
Think of the amazing pond she is swimming in now (o:
Hope you get more
We do get attached to our animals even the wild ones. We have a sweet little deer that comes with her mother for a drink. Hope you had a nice weekend.
Judy
Hi Kathleen,
Sweet Annabelle...bless her soul. I do know {from my past} homesteading through the years that "death" is just something that isn't easily put in a folder and filed away.
You're closely connected, you feed them, you care for their ailments, you know them better than anyone does so when you also have to pick them up and lay them to rest it's just not something that's a normal thing to do no matter how many times it will happen.
I had many {seasoned} livestock owners tell me through the years that you will toughen up and it won't bother you as much...not so with me...many days and weeks sometimes before I could get through a day without the emotion of losing another feathered or furry friend. I guess I weathered the loss but I never got tough.
I have not blogged much at all this summer. We have been working steady in the house getting it put together finally. Thomas was laid off in February and so has retired for the second time. Forgive me if I've already told you this. :0/
We have made great progress..the lower level is next..much winter proofing to do down there.
It's so nice to catch up with you. I can feel the weariness in your words. I hope that you are ok and not overdoing it. I know this horrible economy is taking it's toll on so many. Thomas being laid off has left us feeling like "roadkill" on occasion...but we keep plugging away and thinking of a different way to approach our future.
Thanks so much for coming over for a visit with me. I think of you often and am going to be blogging more as we wind down all the projects.
Have a blessed day,
Stephanie ♥
Hi Kathleen --
I'm sorry about your Annabelle. She's been a long time resident there on your place and I know you'll miss her. Too bad our animals don't live very long. I know you have alot of good memories of her in the barnyard, and I hope there'll be another special duck come along that'll give you just as much pleasure as she did!
Hope things are otherwise going well, Kathleen. I know you're working hard - be sure and take some time for yourself! Hugs - Vickie
Such a sweet tribute to Annabelle--I even love her name! I love all my pets and they have a Creator too. Not even a sparrow falls without his notice.
Yes, they grab our hearts with their beaks, hooves or whatever. We love them and know their times are limited. But we love them anyway. Sorry for your loss.
Ahhh..this is not a new emotion here either. It's never a "natural" thing to pass over. May you get another duck with so much personality and endurance!!
Kathleen,
I'm so sorry to hear about Annabelle passing away. I know you will miss her very much. It's always so very sad to lose a pet. I know exactly how you feel. It's like losing a member of the family. I'm glad you were able to have these many years with this precious animal. Bless you, Brenda.
I recently lost my favorite cat and have such a hard time with it. I know what you mean about still looking for them.
I'm so sorry for the loss Kathleen. I hope you feel better and the new ducklings bring life back, just like Annabelle.
I'm so very sorry for your loss of Annabelle. Hugs...
I'm so sorry! I feel the same way about all my furry and feathered friends. Hugs! I wish I could say or do somthing to help.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Hi Kathleen~ I enjoyed visiting and seeing what you have been up to. So sorry for the loss of sweet Annabelle (such a sweet name). It's so hard to let go of our precious little creatures. Thinking of you... ~Mandy
Oh, Kathleen... this brought tears to my eyes. I'm so sorry you lost sweet Annabelle, but I loved what you said that she had gone to another pond... I know you will miss her so, but please take comfort that with your care she lived a life most ducks only dream about!
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