A few weeks ago, I found 22 baby ducklings on my roof. Not one. Not ten. But 22 fluffy, peeping, impossibly cute ducklings in the eaves of my Florida home. The videos I made went a little viral on Instagram and Tiktok, and so many people DM-ed me asking for updates! To be honest, it was one of the happiest and most bizarre days of my life because it made me realize how much my relationship with nature and plants had evolved. I've gone from solely being focused on growing houseplants in pots (things that I can control) to being completely obsessed with the natural world around me, marveling that the ability that baby ducks have to fledge, and and the cuteness that comes alongside it. I've called this transition “nature-curious) 

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:34] How 22 ducks changed my perspective on nature and plants
• [03:57] What “nature curious” lifestyle means to me
• [06:27] I used to be “plant blind”
• [07:45] How I changed after moving from 500 sq ft to 5 acres
• [11:26] Becoming sensitive to nature’s subtle sounds & shifts
• [12:42] How I met Mama Duck (and how she learned to trust me)
• [14:36] Feeding the ducklings and fostering a bond with them!
• [15:14] Stop wishing for that magic stress-erasing wand and grab the next best thing: Wind River Chimes!
• [17:02] Join the movement of confident female gardeners with Dovetail x John Deere Workwear!
• [20:24] How I discovered the next set of ducklings… on my roof!
• [22:56] The poetry of seeing ducklings fledge from my roof!
• [27:53] What we can learn from nature about adaptability and change

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From Plant Blindness to Nature Curious

Eight years ago, I was living in a 500-square-foot concrete jungle. I didn’t even notice the trees on my street. I was what researchers call plant blind. Houseplants were my first step out of that blindness. They were my “gateway drug” into the world of living things.

Then came my move to the country: 5 acres in the Catskills. Suddenly, I was surrounded by wildness. At first, I was terrified (shoutout to the bats that made me afraid to go outside at night), but slowly, I started to fall in love. With the bats. With the birdsong. With the groundhogs, and mushrooms, and trees, and fish. It was a true “awakening”. I feel in love with nature. For me, it wasnt just about potted plants anymore.

Mama Duck and Her Ducklings

If you saw my updates on Instagram/Tiktok, then you know about 8 months ago I met a mama duck. She flew right at me while I was hanging my Wind River wind chimes. I panicked and ran inside, only to find her following me and peering at me through the lanai screen.

Something in her look said, “maybe I'm ok with trusting you.”

So I grabbed bird seed and offered it to her. A few minutes later, she flew back across the water and brought her ducklings with her. That was the beginning of a four-month friendship. She came back regularly with her seven ducklings, and I watched those babies grow into full-fledged ducks.

Then one day, her baby (now grown up) returned. And she had babies of her own (who I was about to meet).

The Ducklings on the Roof

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I was at my desk when I heard quacking outside and found a new mama duck pacing furiously and seemingly calling out. I went outside and heard so much “peeping” of baby ducks but couldn't find them. The new mama duck pointed at my roof with her beak. Then I spotted these tiny ducklings over the edge of my roof.

22 of them!

I scrambled for ideas. I stood on a ladder, trying to see if I could help. I placed outdoor cushions and blankets on the ground, hoping to create a soft landing spot in case they jumped. Ultimately, I was unsuccessful at helping them manually get off of my roof, BUT i got to witness the entire thing. 

I actually got to see baby #1, “fledge”… or jump off my roof. It was one of the most awe-inspiring moments of my life.

Nature as Teacher

That first duckling fledge was bravery incarnate. A literally “leap of faith”.  Sometimes you don’t need to see the whole picture. You just need to trust the instinct to jump. Trusting. Observing. Showing up.

That  duckling experience has been greater than any Apple TV show I've ever watched.

I've noticed this new “noticing”. It started with the bats I was scared of, that grew to love. Then came through in a curiosity about hummingbirds that led me to developing a relationship with my local hummingbirds who grew so comfortable with me, they'd sit on my finger. And now these ducklings. 

Growing Joy in Everyday Awe

People often feel disconnected to nature, because they think it needs to be a big forest escape, a beach vacation. But there is so much nature, right infront of us, that we might be “blind” to. It's the catepillars transforming itno butterflies on the flowers in our front yard, the trees that survive rain storms or the ducklings hatching on your roof. These amazing nature experiences are available to you too.  The only thing we need to do is start paying attention, and then the whole world comes alive.

The ducklings were cute. The story was wild. I will keep you posted about how they’re doing, so keep growing joy, plant friends!

Where are the ducklings now? 

I saw 8 duckling fledge and go with one mom. Who I then saw several days later swimming in the stream in my backyard. I was extremely worried about the other 14 ducklings that I had not seen fledge (and were frankly worried they were still trapped on my roof!). But last week, I saw Mama #2 with 14 ducklings in tow. She has a SWARM of ducklings following her around, hopping at her footsteps at the cutest way. Me and my neighbors are heavily invested, making sure the ducklings have food and water and I'm excited to watch them grow.

Follow along on Instagram @growingjoywithmaria for updates!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• For more duckling updates, make sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Wind River Chimes

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