Feeding the Ducks

On Saturday Ben returned from the men’s breakfast at church and suggested that we take Elaine to feed the ducks at Prospect Park.  It was a beautiful day – sunny, 50 degrees, and we had nothing else on the schedule!

Elaine didn’t really know what to think of the ducks and geese at first.  I think she was unimpressed.   We joined the other families with their bags of stale bread and began feeding the ducks…despite the signs that said it was bad for the wildlife. 

The geese were very bold and came very close to get their share (and more) of our little bread crusts.  Elaine finally got bold enough to offer a piece to a goose.  Ben had to rescue her from being bit…she had the tiniest little piece of bread clenched tightly in her outstretched fingers.

Next we gave Elaine a big piece of bread.  I believe that she thought it was a snack for herself, and she was not thrilled to share it with these ducks. 

I {heart} this picture!

Finally Ben convinced her to hold it out, and an overbearing goose took the bait.  Literally.  He snatched the whole piece of bread right out of Elaine’s hand!  She cried and chased him to the water’s edge, and probably would have jumped in after her bread had Ben not intervened!

 

That about ended the fun for Elaine.  Any other bread crumbs we gave her went into her mouth, and not the duck’s. 

She had more fun at the playground on the way home.  She enjoyed playing on the “big kids” side of the park, and even went down the twisty slide all by herself.  She played peek-a-boo with me from the heights of the jungle gym, and loved these mesh tunnels. 

It was hard to convince her that it was time to go, but when we finally succeeded, she fell asleep in Ben’s arms on the walk back to the car.  And thus ended a lovely afternoon.