The neighbor's nuisance cat got into the pool area this morning and attacked DUCK on her nest. The terrorized bird put up quite a racket. Luckily, I happened to be home at the time. I ran outside and grabbed a hose, but couldn't quite hit the accursed cat, which was, shall we say, persistent. DUCK fell off the coping into the pool.

I threw open the gate and hollered for Cassie, who came…

At 18 months, Ruby-Doo is now just about the same size as Cassie the Corgi, who's about six years her senior. As of this evening, they each weigh exactly 21.8 pounds.

That's right at what the vet pegs as Cassie's ideal weight. Ruby looks a tiny bit shorter than Cassie, but I think that's because her coat is considerably thinner than Cassie's She's filling out: getting broader across the back and shoulders and thicker around the belly.

I'm thinking it's about time to cut back…

DUCK continues to cultivate Eggs. She roams off a little more often now that all the eggs seem to be delivered to Nest and she's maybe less tired than she was. After a foraging foray, she comes back (as all wild ducks do) to Lake and floats around for awhile, getting her underside amply wet.

Duck eggs need a degree of humidity as well as degrees of maternal body temperature, and the occasional dip in the drink is how a  mother duck arranges that.

Ruby and Cassie are…