As I’ve mentioned, we live a few blocks from the Sonoma Plaza, so it’s not exactly like we live in the country. Nevertheless, we do have the occasional unusual animal sighting. Well, this morning I stepped outside the apartment and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a mother duck followed by six tiny baby ducklings, marching right up France Street. I called Neal and we watched, astonished, as she crossed the street with her brood (I had to stop an oncoming SUV) and took them to the Nathanson Creek Bridge next door to our building. Then, stymied, Mama Duck stopped and stared at the concrete bridge while her little ones immediately plopped down around her, arranging themselves into adorable little fluff-balls, and awaited further instructions. Mama looked this way and that, and we could almost hear her thinking, “Now where did that creek go?” Then, remembering, she got up and walked around the bridge and down the embankment to the creek, followed by her obedient babies. I ran over to be sure they all made it down safely into the water, and they did. Just now Neal went over to check on them and came back saying, “Hey there are two deer in the creek!”

A good day to be alive.