The Quackernackle Choir

I have four white ceramic ducks outside by the walkway leading up to our front door. I rescued them a few years ago from a yard sale. I think they were just twenty-five cents each. They're so cute because they're pudgy like little ducklings, and the expressions on their faces are just plain happy. They all seemed quite pleased with themselves sitting at that yard sale over a year ago, and I just couldn't resist them.

When I got them home, the question was where to put them? Outside in the yard, of course, but I didn't want them to get lost in the flower-beds. I had a white wrought-iron plant stand out there in the garden, also a yard sale find. The stand was in the shape of a spiral staircase, with four steps. Every plant that I put on there just burned up in the sun, especially the uppermost one. Hmmm.... four little ducks, four little steps. As my husband's mom always said-- buy what you love, you'll find room for it.

The four ducks, ranging in size from smallest, small, medium, and large, sat right on each of the steps, with the smallest one on the very top. They were happy there all summer long, white pudgy bodies and pouty yellow beaks. Last Christmas, I put red ribbons around their necks. I swear, they looked like choir members, and I christened them my "Quackernackle Choir." Everyone who came to our front door just smiled at the sight of those pudgy porcelain ducks.

I left the ribbons on them after the holiday last year, and they looked perfectly dressed for Valentine's Day with their red bow-ties. As the warmer weather came, the red ribbons faded a bit to orange. In the heat of the summer, round about August, the orange turned to a mustard-y yellow. Time to get rid of those ribbons.

Last night, before I turned off the outside Christmas lights, I was out there with a roll of ribbon. I gave each little duck a new red ribbon for Christmas. My Quackernackle Choir rocks on.