In the still of the night.

I like early mornings the best. Everything is so quiet, so calm. Students are sleeping, crazy dogs are sleeping, everything is at peace. Except the ducks.

The ducks do not sleep. They are never quiet. They lurk under the deck waiting for me to step outside and continue the neverending process of feeding the outdoor cats.

Not only do the ducks not sleep but they talk. A lot.  Any time of night I can hear them outside quacking. It's amazing how incredibly loud a gaggle of six ducks can be.

At 4:00 in the morning, it is a sweet time to enjoy a good book, a cup of tea. And sometimes, the cacophony of ducks wishing each other a good morning.