Post date: Jun 22, 2015 12:27:54 AM
by Marina Ellison
It took some doing but I was finally able to interview Daisy about the return to Ponderosa Pines Pond and the Duck Home. Daisy apologized for delaying our interview. She was so proud my Duck had improved and we were able to converse so easily. Apparently the return trip was really something. Daisy and Bill were the travel pros and were able to point out all the sights to Daffy. Skip graciously stopped at the trestle overlook and he drove all of Burro Street. Daffy was truly amazed, he especially loved the tall pines and aspen trees. The basin view was perfect in the late afternoon sun. At that point Daisy apologized and said she was getting ahead of herself. The winter in High Rolls was truly wonderful, Cheyenne was a fabulous condo mate and introduced them to many other delightful critters. As Daisy and Bill both became fluent in Horse, Cheyenne was able to entertain them with many stories about High Rolls. He did confess he knew most of the stories from the Chickens and the Raven. The Chickens had a secret hole in their pen and were able to travel great distances with the Raven flying overhead. Between them they knew just about all the critters in High Rolls. They had been chased several times by people for peeping in windows. Daisy found that the most charming story! Daisy and Bill found the winter in High Rolls mild with only one bad storm. Daisy learned a bit of Spanish from Cheyenne and also learned some English but she found it to be a gruff language not soft and melodic like Duck. She and Bill loved the bustle of so many critters visiting, but they dreamed so often of their quiet home, Ponderosa Pines Pond. In late February the Chickens and Raven approached Daisy and Bill with a problem. During an outing they found a duck named Daffy, lost and alone on Westside drive. He was dazed and did not know where he was or even how he got there. The Chickens quickly hide him in their pen, shared their feed and settled him in a quiet corner to rest and sleep peacefully. They discussed his fate and knew the only thing to do was approach Daisy and Bill. After hearing the story Daisy and Bill needed no discussion they immediately told the Chickens to bring him to the stable. Of course Cheyenne heard the conversation and told them he would do all he could to help. The Chickens said Daffy had an accent and they were not sure of all he said. By late afternoon the next day Daffy had recovered sufficiently to travel to the stable. Daisy and Bill immediately welcomed him and fixed him a warm bath. After a through drying with Cheyenne’s dryer and a dinner of duck food, Daffy was ready to tell his story. Cheyenne was listening as well, thank goodness as he spoke fluent Spanish and was able to translate as necessary. It was soon discovered Daffy had lived deep in Mexico and was captured by “Coyotes” and taken to the US border to be sold! He and several other ducks managed to escape in El Paso and were trying to make their way home and not only were separated, but Daffy was lost before he could quack one time. His story was long and sad. It was agreed by all that he could never safely return home but would become the mysterious stranger to live at Ponderosa Pines Pond with Daisy and Bill. In the Duck society all females have two male mates and Daffy was truly the answer to their prayers! With a tear in her eye Daisy finished her story. I immediately sensed her fright. Knowing people only have one mate she and Bill were terrified Daffy would not be accepted at the pond. Though Skip had assured them there was nothing to fear they put off their return on two occasions! After a wonderful pot luck dinner with all the critters that had befriended them, and a long and tearful good-bye with Cheyenne, they called Skip to drive them home. Upon arriving at the pond Skip and Caryn were thrilled to see Bill and Daffy gather Daisy between them and tour the entire pond. Daisy, Bill and Daffy (a.k.a. the mysterious stranger) WELCOME HOME!