"A Joy in living, a love for all existence- such are among the life long results of a right cultivation of the feeling for beauty and for art."
- Rudolph Steiner
Hello everyone,
I am writing to say hello & share a story about a friend, a family & a duck - for November's creative newsletter.
Shannon Moeller-Spaulding an Ojai massage therapist, wife, mother of two daughters, Leanne & Rose & my friend.
Shannon and her husband, Matthias, home school their children. I notice I am always curious, inspired, and interested to learn what their family is currently focused on with the children and what the children are learning. Shannon and Mattias both teach the children.
The children study reading, spelling, history, social studies, math, science, English, art, gardening, gymnastics, and so much more!
Mattias, during the summer, was unexpectedly given 12 duck eggs. Twenty-nine days later, on July 16, 2021, Dakota the Cayuga Duck hatched in their home (the other 11 eggs didn't hatch) and a new study for the children began.
Leanne and Rose often study with Dakota sitting nearby. Dakota is allowed inside the home with the family for several hours a day and she also has a special home outside which includes a wading pool.
Leanne and Rose are responsible for feeding and watering Dakota and cleaning cages. Cayugas love to eat duck grain, fruits, and vegetables. Dakota’s favorites include grapes and tomatoes.
Cayuga ducks are known to be calm, docile, and obedient which makes it easy for novice duck keepers.
Being bottom heavy, they rarely fly.
As ducklings and while growing up, if handled regularly by humans, they can become quite tame, which means they make good child-friendly birds. Ducks are easily imprinted.
Imprinting is a form of learning in which an animal gains its sense of species identification. Birds do not automatically know what they are when they hatch – they visually imprint on their parents during a critical period of development. After imprinting, they will identify with that species for life.
If young birds imprint on humans, they will identify with humans for life. Reversing the imprinting process is known to be impossible – these birds are bonded to humans for life and will identify with humans rather than of their own species.
Therefore, Dakota is always seen following everyone in the Moeller-Spaulding family around the house and in the yard.
Cayugas are playful ducks that love human attention. They are fairly active and not particularly noisy. Cayuga's have great ability to show affection, and are very community orientated. They like having others around.
In different cultures, ducks can symbolize returning to those parts of ourselves or those activities that we feel safe and comfortable doing. The Egyptians were the first to domesticate ducks. The Chinese pioneered the art of duck raising.
All ducks exhibit a grace while on water, and water can represent emotions. It is said that, symbolically, seeing, watching, taming, talking, living and interacting with a duck can help one soothe and integrate emotions (water) with greater grace and comfort.
In astrology, ducks (being a bird species) are associated with the communicating sign and planet of Gemini & Mercury and are thus considered Divine Messengers. They quack/ communicate.
Attached are some photos I took during my visit with Dakota the Duck & the children. I thought to share with everyone:
Dakota & Shannon
Dakota in the Wading Pool
Dakota the Duck
Rose, Leanne, and myself holding Dakota
Me Holding Two Pet Lizards while Taking Notes and Interviewing Leanne & Rose (Multi-tasking!)
Dakota Eating Fresh Lettuce from the Garden
May this message tonight inspire joy and gratitude for our animals as they are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, and loyal.
I hope everyone has a peaceful & relaxing evening.
Love,
Lauren Whitney Glass