The most popular theory suggests that "ducks in a row" came from the world of sports, specifically bowling. Early bowling pins were often shorter and thicker than modern pins, which lead to the nickname ducks. Before the advent of automatic resetting machines, these "duck pins" would be manually put back into place between bowling rounds. Therefore, having one's ducks in a row would be a metaphor for having all of the bowling pins organized and properly placed before sending the next ball down the lane. Many bowling alleys still offer "duck pin" lanes with smaller bowling balls and shorter pins.
Another theory comes from the world of nature. Mother ducks often corral their young offspring into manageable straight lines before traveling over land or water. Any stragglers or escapees would be noticed as long as the integrity of this line is maintained. The idea of getting all of one's ideas or ingredients or team members in one organized line would be similar to a mother duck getting all of her literal ducks in a row. One concern with this theory is the use of the word ducks, since baby ducks are more correctly identified as ducklings or even chicks. The common expression suggests adult ducks, not necessarily younger ducklings.
There are also sources which argue the "ducks in a row" element refers to a carnival game or two. One popular carnival game involves the player using a small caliber rifle or air gun to knock down moving targets. Quite often these targets are in the shape of ducks, and a conveyor belt system makes sure the duck targets are aligned in a consistent row. It is possible that the expression came from the benefit of having all of the targets (ducks) arrive in a predictable and organized order.
histle, a calling CD to hone my skills, some Black Cloud 3" shells and this cool little motor to attach to the bottom of a decoy that makes it swim around in circles. Pretty good haul. They did not have decoy paint or a replacement wing for my spinning wing decoy. Guess that will have to wait.
iving him the 'Dain Brammage' he wears to this day. As backyard neighbors we have come to accept Coconut's .0004 MPH staggering around his backyard and his roommate, who we call 'Tamale Joe', wandering around wrangling his cats. This week however held a new development.
No words could be spoken about this day, Cliffy with excess. There I said it, excess. The dictionary defines excess as: "having more than necessary, permitted or desirable". It also states that excess is "lack of moderation in an activity", such as drinking. It also states that excess is "the action of exceeding the permitted limit." Charlton bless you Cliffy you hit all three. May you always have an excess, and long may you slay.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRED G !!! How about a nice Rossini's Pizza for your special day?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRED G! How about a nice Fudgie the Whale for desert?
to phase her a bit, sweet. Down to the creek and right into the water she goes, things are looking good.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – July 2, 2010 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its preliminary report today on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May. The total duck population is nearly 41 million, which is similar to last year's estimate and 21 percent above the long-term average.
"These are encouraging numbers as we see most species are at or above their long-term averages," said Dale Humburg, Ducks Unlimited chief biologist. "The habitat conditions in many regions should support a good breeding effort."
Habitat conditions across the U.S. and Canadian prairies and parklands were generally good. However, further north, wetland conditions in boreal regions of Alaska and northern Canada were only fair at the time of the survey. During the survey and into early summer, many regions important to breeding ducks received significant precipitation, which could increase later breeding efforts and ensure brood survival. If these wet conditions continue, prospects going into the winter and possibly into spring 2011 could be favorable as well.
Mallards, gadwalls, green-winged teal, northern shovelers and redheads mirrored last year's numbers, and all remained above their long-term averages. Canvasback and American wigeon numbers were similar to last year's, as were pintail and scaup numbers, although populations of these two species remain below their long-term averages.
"It's great to hear the report of steady duck populations, but habitat loss continues to be a significant threat to North America's waterfowl," said Dale Hall, DU CEO. "For most species, this year's numbers are encouraging, but DU must remain dedicated to its mission of long-term, landscape-level habitat conservation if we are to meet the life-cycle needs of the continent's waterfowl."
"I would expect to see a fall flight similar to last year's," Humburg says. "But everyone must keep in mind that weather and habitat strongly influence the timing and distribution of ducks in the fall flight, and these factors are very dynamic. Although I'm optimistic about the 2010 fall flight, it's several months before the season opens, and a lot could happen to migration and wintering habitat before then."
Kellogg, Idaho - Fore! The brand new Galena Ridge Golf Course at Silver Mountain Resort is set to make its debut on June 20th. Tucked into the hills above Kellogg, Galena Ridge is a mountain course masterpiece. The course was created to provide golfers of all abilities stunning mountain views to coincide with a highly enjoyable golf experience.
"The incredible land form provided by Mother Nature allowed us to create tee shots over rugged terrain, wrap fairways around wetlands and tuck greens into wooded draws," said course architect John Thronson of Redmond, Oregon. "What makes the course unique is the amount of elevation change. Several of the first nine holes drop well over 120 feet from tee to green, one of which is an exciting 506 yard par 4 that drops 235 feet," continued Thronson. When the Galena Ridge Golf Course is completely finished, the total elevation change will be in excess of 450 feet and encompass over 350 acres of terrain.
After nearly 4 years of development and construction, 9 of the planned 18 holes are ready for play. The course is open to the public and walk-ins are welcome, however tee time reservations are recommended and can be made up to 30 days in advance. The design work for the remaining holes is nearing completion and construction is expected to commence within the next two years.
close we were. It was a good shake down run for the 4X4 capabilities of Big Betty. She seemed to be in her element up in the back woods hills and of course after only one time driving off-road I am now an Expert at this too. As we sat by an Elk camp and ate our sa
mmys we vowed to try again next month after the snow melted all the way. All in all a beautiful way to spend the afternoon.
endless.
I guess Lenny Bias's ghost was to busy doing crack cocaine.
Of course Heston's gun room would have only the finest weapons and I'm sure he had many more such vaults hidden throughout his property. In them he must have stored the collective knowledge of the universe, knowledge he used to keep us protected from enemies Foreign and Domestic. Thank you Lord Heston and thanks to the Brother for bringing this to our attention. I will start construction on my Gun Vault soon, very soon.
