Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

They punch you in the face and then start crying because their fist hurts.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

T R E 4 5 O N

Republicans in disarray!

President Musk and Trump are both poorly raised, coddled 8 year old boys.

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

This fight is for everything.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Second rate reporter says what?

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

When I was faster i was always behind.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Happy Easter Open Thread: Meet The Ducklings

Happy Easter Open Thread: Meet The Ducklings

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I thought you might like to learn their names*.

*names will be adjusted if their sex reveals itself to be male.

They are spending most of the day outside today, weather is warm and they are so very happy out there, even in their little penned area.

I’ve been calling them Nikki and Nora for weeks now, but didn’t want to introduce them by name until I was sure it was going to stick. I can easily tell them apart and their personalities are polar opposites, which is fun. I’m still 90% convinced they are female because of the way they talk – they have a strong, high pitched quack and they talk constantly. Males have a gravelly voice and are not as talkative. But until we see a turned up tail feather (male) or see eggs (around October) it’s all speculation.

Meanwhile, meet Nora:

She’s sweet, cuddly and the more adventurous of the two. Also, she’s smaller, but it’s not as noticeable now as it was when they first arrived.

Here she is being silly.

And meet Nikki:

She’s very protective, a little snarly at me, although she always needs me around for things like bathtime, outdoor time, and anytime she’s out of the crate.  As she gets comfortable she needs me less, but she’ll call out if I’m out of sight for too long.

This is her general mood. I think we can all relate.

Scout has been spending a lot more time with them these days. She likes to lay on the floor with them. Last night she was snuggled about as close as they would let her and all three were sound asleep. No photos, because you know the moment I got up, they’d all be up and about.

Here are photos and video from this week.  It’s a little sparse because as they grow they really keep me busy, even as they spend time outdoors.

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

89Comments

  7. 7.

    something fabulous

    Oh my goodness so CUTE!! Good girl, Scout!!

    There is a cockatoo named Coco I vaguely follow on Facebook (now there’s a sentence!). She has a problem with plucking her own feathers til bald, and it is always a celebration when she lets them grow in. I see those same furled up feather “sprouts” growing in on Nikki– hope birds were able to evolve such that something so important isn’t as painful as it looks to me!

    Thanks for the update! Am so enjoying their progress. ??

  9. 9.

    RobertDSC-Mac Mini

    Happy to see them adjusting, growing, and becoming part of the Jackal family.

  11. 11.

    Phylllis

    If one or the other do turn out to be males, these names can easily be adapted to Nik and, um, Norad.

  17. 17.

    MazeDancer

    As my first ever cats, many decades ago, were Dashiell and Lily, obviously, I’m 100% applauding Nikki and Nora.

    The ducklings are so adorable. Cannot believe how your other pets do not try to eat them.

    Fear that my current trio of cats would think, yum, lunch.

  18. 18.

    NotMax

    @TomatoQueen

    Dunno if you saw it, gave a late response to what I gleaned was your question re: Firefox and altering new tab placement the other day. Sorry it appeared so late; sleepytime intervened with a vengeance.

  20. 20.

    NotMax

    @Phyllis

    Have been half-watching the mid-1950s TV series The Sheriff of Cochise which is part of April’s ‘sample it for a month’ stuff on Prime, as a put the brain in neutral diversion. Mostly for the cars. Also for touches like the one when people were vacated from lounging around a swimming pool – the women in one piece bathing suits and high heels brought forth a chuckle.

    Sounds like a boilerplate Western but it was contemporarily set*, plotwise, in or near Bisbee, Arizona. Amusing to me that the lead character tools around the desert, sometimes pedal to the metal, in at first a DeSoto station wagon (’56, I think) and later in other brands (have so far seen a Chrysler and what might be a Chevy), but ALL station wagons — radio, siren and gun rack equipped.

    *Although one could devise a drinking game set around every time a man hooks both thumbs in his belt.

  21. 21.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    The ducklings continue to be adorable, although now in a teenager, instead of a toddler, sort of way.  Thanks for the pictures and video!

  23. 23.

    trollhattan

    Today’s Johns Hopkins COVID data show California’s test positivity rate has dropped below 1%–first time I’ve seen that. My comparison state–Texas–is at 5.27%, an improvement for them but still.

    And Georgia, is anybody yelling at the governor and legislature as to why they’re busy fucking with voting rights while the vaccination rate is fiftieth among the fifty states? Seriously, Alabama is ahead of y’all.

  24. 24.

    NotMax

    @NotMax

    the women in one piece bathing suits and high heels brought forth a chuckle.

    Same goes for some of the men outfitted in cabana sets, a fashion whose demise humanity gratefully celebrates.

    :)

  25. 25.

    CaseyL

    “Try arguing with baby ducks.” I would guess that arguing with any baby animal is equally fruitless, due to the cuteness.

    One thing I enjoy watching is how the ducklings’ wings develop, after starting out as stubby nubbins about as useful as T. Rex’s arms.

    Nikki and Nora are excellent names.

    @NotMax:  I just plain love those old station wagons.  Solid as a tank, and big enough to live in, practically (and probably have been). But they not only don’t turn on a dime, IIRC you have to come to a dead stop to corner.

  27. 27.

    trollhattan

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    That’s such great news. LA was the hottest of hotspots and controlling Covid there makes the statewide goals attainable and not pipedreams. By May 1 I think our vaccination count will be well over half the eligible population or put another way, most adults who want one will have theirs, and the holdouts will be the majority of the unvaccinated.

  29. 29.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Cute ducks are very cute! And their names are perfect! Thank you for the Easter bonus.

  31. 31.

    evap

    @trollhattan:  Is that still the case?   There’s been a big uptake in vaccinating since I read that GA is ranked last.    Several megasites doing 6K shots a day, and everyone about 16 is eligible.

  33. 33.

    Yutsano

    QUACKERS!!! That is all.

    Grabbing a shower before things get way too nuts around here.

  36. 36.

    Patricia Kayden

    We’re so obsessed w/estimating causal effects of suppression efforts we have ceded impt normative ground. The right to vote is sacred. Access to the ballot should be expanded, not burdened. Be wary of those who look at attempts to disenfranchise folks & remark, “Oh, no big deal.”— Hakeem Jefferson (@hakeemjefferson) April 3, 2021

  53. 53.

    WaterGirl

    I was watching a TV show last night, and someone was referred to (behind their back!) as Our Lady of Insufferable Sanctimony.

    I thought that might be thread-worthy, trying to decide which Republicans best fit that description.

  54. 54.

    Geminid

    @WaterGirl: I would love to hear what Hakeem Jefferies and Hakeem Jefferson had to say to each other. I’d invite them out to my place for a barbecue, but they are both probably too busy. Jefferson has a lot of work as an Assistant Professor, and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Jefferies has over 200 cats to herd on Capitol Hill. He’s the man for the job though.

  57. 57.

    Ken

    @dmsilev: Man accused of drinking Four Lokos while giving Botox injections without license

    It’s OK, Florida has that “two felonies cancel out” rule.

    (Pardon?)

    I’m informed that the rule was, in fact, a joke being made at the expense of Matt Gaetz.

  59. 59.

    Fair Economist

    @trollhattan:

    And Georgia, is anybody yelling at the governor and legislature as to why they’re busy fucking with voting rights while the vaccination rate is fiftieth among the fifty states? Seriously, Alabama is ahead of y’all.

    Teachers in GA forced to conduct in-person classes have been traveling to AL to get the vaccinations they can’t get in GA. Just nuts.

  60. 60.

    zhena gogolia

    @NotMax:

    Wow, that sounds great.

    We were planning to watch “My grandfather’s war” on PBS tonight, and it does sound interesting, but I am not up for reliving the Blitz

    ETA: Nikki and Nora are great names!

  66. 66.

    Joy in FL

    I love seeing the duck photos. Seeing Scout there with them was extra sweet.

    Also I will get my first shot on Thursday. So that’s a relief.

  68. 68.

    Yutsano

    Since we’re in open thread territory…

    Guess what the latest “scandal” is? Just wait! It’s a doozy!

    First Lady Doctor Jill Biden dared to express some style. I’m personally not sold but the right is collectively losing its mind.

    Apparently Republicans are losing their shit over fishnet stockings … @FLOTUS looks amazing. Old misogynist Republicans can't handle strong, intelligent women pic.twitter.com/KHddkbjnbj— ?Pam Charles BSc(Hons) MSc IT ? ?? (@charlespR2D2) April 4, 2021

  69. 69.

    NotMax

    @zhena gogolia

    Well, let me put it this way – hardly must watch TV, even at the time.

    Pleasant surprise, though, to see Mary Astor show up as a guest star baddie in one of the free episodes.

  75. 75.

    NotMax

    @zhena gogolia

    Another curiosity (mentioned in passing rather than necessarily recommended) came across recently on Prime is Inspector Manara (Wikipedia, contains spoilers), a so-so Italian series made, set in and aired in 2009-11, yet which has all the anachronistic trappings and cultural sensitivity of a series which somehow time traveled from the 1970s. Would have to be more attentive to be certain but I swear it includes its own cleavage theme music for when those are highlighted on screen.

  77. 77.

    zhena gogolia

    @NotMax:

    Sounds . . . weird.

    The PBS Zen with Rufus Sewell had a lot of silk-shirt cleavage, as I recall. Maybe it’s an Italian thing.

  78. 78.

    WaterGirl

    @zhena gogolia:

    The PBS Zen with Rufus Sewell had a lot of silk-shirt cleavage, as I recall. Maybe it’s an Italian thing.

    Apparently I need to try to find Zen streaming somewhere.

    edit: I wonder if Acorn include PBS shows, BBC America shows and other britishshows

  83. 83.

    MagdaInBlack

    @WaterGirl: I’m not sure. Probably both ? Eta: I had to remind myself that the fuss was because the right seems to equate black leather and lace with their own personal sexual preferences.

    When you scroll down to someone posting Melania in all her glory, the right should probably just stfu.

  86. 86.

    Quantumman

    Scout is a beauty.  I really miss Danes.  We had many through the years.  Our last one died last August.  She had systemic lupus.  We are a bit old now and decided we cannot have the giants now.  So we have a Multipoo and a Havanese.  Tiny guys.  They are awesome, but I miss the Danes.

  89. 89.

    Chris T.

    If they become Nick and Nora, do you have to get a wire terrier and name her Asta?

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