Finn the duck. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
DUCKS IN THE WATER. Ducks on the river bank. Ducks crossing a street. Ducks in a park, in a front yard, on a courthouse lawn. I’ve spotted ducks in all of these places, but never in a pet stroller.
Yet, early last Saturday afternoon, along came Finn the duck riding in the basket of a stroller pushed by her owner, Korey of West Concord. He was wheeling her past the Rice County government services building, which caused four of us to pause and inquire about the oddity before us.
Seems Finn was the sole duckling in last year’s hatch, leaving Korey with one option, to care for her. He raises over 150 “birds”—ducks, chickens, geese, guinea hens…and sells eggs.
Finn follows him everywhere. She even accompanies him into businesses like Lowe’s Home Improvement, her favorite store, according to Korey. The female duck sits on his shoulder. And if she flies off while at home, she always comes back.
The affectionate connection between the two is obvious. As Korey stroked her back, Finn’s tail wagged. Just like a dog.
He got the stroller recently, partially to protect Finn from dogs and other dangers while they’re out an about. I’m quite certain she’s relatively safe given Korey’s attentive care. Back home Finn has a wading pool for splashing and swimming. Yup, Finn is just a little bit spoiled.
Looking up toward flowering branches and the bold blue sky of spring. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
SPRING IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA looks a lot like colors in a new box of crayons. Sharp. Bold. Vibrant. Vivid green grass. Bold blue sky. Hot pink tree blossoms. Spring flowers bursting bright reds and yellows. These are the hues of spring.
Color everywhere… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
The landscape is a page upon which nature colors over gray. The world explodes in color, a welcome visual delight to winter weary eyes.
Growing goslings explore the river bank. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
I can’t get enough of this, even after more than sixty years of observing the seasonal transformation during April into May. It never gets old—this morphing of the seasons. How beautiful this world around us, teeming with new growth, new life.
Goose and goslings aside ducks along river’s edge. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Every spring I await the goslings and ducklings. They are pure fluffy cuteness. I admire from afar, keenly aware of their protective parents. I dodge goose poop, not always successfully, to get within viewing range. But I respect their space.
Beautiful scene: a mallard drake swimming on the river. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
I find myself mesmerized by waterfowl as they forage for food along the shoreline or glide through the river, water rippling a trail. Reflections trace tranquility upon the water’s surface. All is quiet and good in that peaceful scene.
A squirrel, nearly camouflaged by a tree. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
But not all is still. On land, squirrels scamper up trees, root in the ground. I never tire of their antics, amazed by their acrobatic skills, their Olympian abilities to leap with precision, climb with speed. They are really quite amazing even if sometimes a nuisance when digging up lawns and in flower pots.
A squirrel peeks over a limb on a leafing tree. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
There’s so much to appreciate in this season not only visually, but in sound, too. Chirping birds, especially raucous this time of year. Trill of peepers in ponds and wetlands. Rustle of a rabbit across dried leaves. Call of a rooster pheasant in flight. Whisper of the wind through leafing treetops.
And then the scent, oh, the distinct, earthy smell of spring. Soil. Rain. Flowers. I dip my nose into apple blossoms, their fragrance a reminder of apples to come, of apple crisp pulled from the oven, of pies baked in Grandma’s kitchen.
Lilacs are budding and flowering. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
But it is lilacs which, for me, hold the strongest scent of spring. Perhaps because of the memories connected to this flowering bush. I remember bouquets of lilacs filling my childhood farmhouse, their heavy perfume masking the odor of cow manure. The lilacs came from my bachelor uncle’s nearby farm. Mike would bring bouquets to his sister-in-law. Or my mom would drive the washboard gravel roads to pick her own. Today, my husband brings me bouquets of lilacs each May, understanding the memories and love these blossoms represent.
Bleeding hearts, one of the first flowers of spring. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
This is spring in Minnesota to me. All of it. Bold. Beautiful. Bright. Me, feeling like a kid giddy with joy over a box of new crayons.
Look how sculpting and color transformed this duck.
Multiple rubber duckies now sit atop the giant duck with a heart on its breast.
Stepping back, a view from the street.
Fabulous, isn’t it?
What’s next?
I don’t think the project is finished yet, based on the pile of blocked snow next to the mighty duck at the Kurt Kletter home, 417 Second Street Northwest, Faribault. I’ll keep my eyes on that duck and any new developments.
FYI: Since photographing this duck on Sunday afternoon, we’ve experienced two days of 40-degree temps. I have not checked to see how this heat wave may have impacted the snow sculpture.
THIS COLD AND SNOWY Minnesota winter has many of us natives going a little bonkers.
I am not good at judging size. But this is one big duck.
But at least one Faribault resident is goin’ quackers instead, sculpting a mighty snow duck in the front yard at 417 Second Street Northwest.
Another angle, looking toward the street.
I spotted the waterfowl a few days ago, when temps reached a high of around zero and the wind was whipping something fierce.
Little duck (decoy). Mighty duck.
Not a great day to pull out the camera. In less than five minutes of shooting, my gloveless fingers were chilled to the bone. Back inside the car, I positioned my hands within a wisp of a heat vent.
Gazing up at the mighty duck.
Now you’re going to ask, “Why a duck? And why would anyone do this?”
I nearly missed the rubber ducky atop the snow at the end of the driveway as I hurried toward the car.
I didn’t knock on the door and inquire. My only thought after shooting about a dozen frames shortly before sunset was to get inside the Chrysler and warm up.
Therefore you get to offer your theories. Go.
FYI: Not that this has anything to do with the duck sculpture. But D3: The Mighty Ducks, a 1996 sports comedy movie, was filmed at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault and at Carleton College in nearby Northfield. NHL player Emerson Eten, who played prep hockey at Shattuck, now skates for the Anaheim Ducks.
UPDATE: After pulling today’s issue of my local newspaper, The Faribault Daily News, from the fresh snow atop my front steps, I settled in with the paper at lunch. There, on page two, were a story and photo about the mighty duck. Kurt Kletter is the artist behind the sculpture, having crafted snow sculptures during the past four winters. Why have I not noticed his leprechaun, dragons and giant stop sign in past years?
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