Mothering

The old farm pond in Lanark is fringed with reeds, clover and daisy fleabane. Later in the day there will a heron or two here, perhaps a bittern, but the pond is quiet for now, the reeds uninhabited, the air above filled with darting barn swallows and jeweled dragonflies.

The real jewels on this late summer morning (of course) are the proud Muscovy duck, and her twelve beautiful children on the shore.