Tuesday, September 30, 2008

A Day With Ducks

On Sunday, we went to visit my grandparents in Charles City.  My grandfather was having his toes broke (on purpose) on Monday so my mom was going to help out for the week.

My grandparents moved into town a year ago and they love their place.  I miss the farm and the chance for the boys to know where my mom grew up, but their new place is cool.  They live right on the Cedar River in town.  It is great to sit out on the deck and watch the river and hear the noises that it makes.  It is very peaceful and relaxing.  It is also fun to walk down to the river and Harrison loves to throw skipping rocks out on the water.  He hasn't gotten one to skip but it is not for lack of trying!

We were all geared up to see the Trumpeter Swan on this trip to Gma and Gpa's.  They have had this swan for the last month or so and it visit's quite regularly.  Well, it would not grace us with our presence on this day, but we made do by going to visit the ducks and geese.  Gpa and Gma live about 3 minutes from Bayou Bend.  This is an area that is almost dedicated to the ducks and geese.  We took half a loaf of bread up there and the boys had a riot.  Harrison almost let a duck eat out of his hand and Bennett couldn't get enough of them.  He would throw a piece and then say, 'Duck, duck, duck' and then look at me and giggle.  After we ran out of bread Bennett decided to chase the ducks.  He was laughing so hard and having so much fun.

On the way back to the house, a pile of fallen leaves caught Harrison's eye.  He and Bennett proceeded to swish through them and throw leaves into the air.  It reminded me of last year when James was hear and he and Harrison had such a good time playing in the leaves at my mom and dad's.  We got great pictures from that.  Even when Harrison was almost 2 he was playing in leaves at Gpa Greg and Gma Pam's house.  He thought it was hysterical when Chris would fall into the leaves!  I guess he is just a leaf pile boy!
The house closest to Bayou Bend is a Frank Lloyd Wright house.  It is very cool.  The spring floods did everything they could do to destroy it, but it still stands.  I peaked in the back windows (no one is living there) and it is completely gutted.  Very sad.  I do hope they restore it some day.  The people who own it are renting a place right next to my grandparents, so hopefully they will be able to do it or find someone who will.  This is a picture of it in the background.
We had a great time and hope to go back again soon.  The Moutenots are coming for Thanksgiving but so are Nathan and Meredith so if we all got together that would be 13 adults and 4 children.  Too many I suppose.  Maybe everyone can meet at my house!

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