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Earlier today, Ducky and Pembleton were looking at some old photos. They were so old, it was before they knew their little buddies Ted and Blizzard.
Ted and Blizzard were confused. They had never heard of baseball and were wondering why Pembleton was prepared for battle. This afternoon, the gang went to a nearby park, where Ducky and Pembleton taught the little guys how to play catch. Then they came home to watch the end of the Oakland A’s beating the Red Sox, while eating Cracker Jacks. Ducky is a huge fan of Stomper (the A’s mascot) and caramel popcorn.
“Batter Up!”
Snowflakes are crystals made from water.
Today Ducky was jumping to catch early morning snowflakes in his mouth, when he asked Pembleton, “Why are snowflakes different from raindrops?”.
Pembleton said, “that is an interesting scientific question” and he asked the Lambs if they would retrieve some charts from his lab so that he could fully explain. Pembleton started, “Snowflakes and raindrops are both made of water”.
Ducky interrupted dancing with one wing in the air, “… but if they are both made of water, why do they look different?”.
“I’m getting to that! When the temperature is low, around 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celcius, the water that would normally fall as raindrops turns into crystals. When these crystals grow, they form what we call snowflakes. During the 1920s, a scientist named ‘Snowflake Bentley’ took thousands of pictures of snowflakes showing the world that almost all snowflakes have different shapes.”
Ducky asked, “How do you know so much about snowflakes, Pembleton?”
“Snowflakes were my very first scientific interest. A large fluffy snowflake was the first thing I saw on the day that I hatched in the South Pole. Ever since then I have been studying these amazing little crystals.”
Until next time, Pembleton reminds you to KEEP BEING CURIOUS!
If you have a question for Pembleton, leave it in the comment section.
“Networking is the key to a successful business!”
Tip # 3
Networking is the key to a successful business!
Ducky makes most of his business deals through his relationships with other animals. For example, Ducky was introduced to Christmas Koala by the Lambs, and when Ducky was in India searching for the perfect rice pudding (The Quest for the Perfect Kheer) he was able to convince the baby elephant to give him a ride because the baby elephant also knew Christmas Koala. Pembleton introduced Ducky to Potbelly Phil (a decision which Pembleton still regrets), and Potbelly Phil was the animal that called in a request to rescue the racoons from a tree during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Every animal Ducky meets is a potential business customer, and the more happy customers that Ducky has, the more animals will come to him for future business. That is why networking is the key to a successful business.
Captain Ducky and his crew set off on an interstellar voyage for the perfect snack. They vowed to “boldly go where no animal has gone before.” When they reached the planet Lambeus, they encountered two strange creatures. The creatures were making something that smelled similar to chocolate chip cookies. Due to the principle of non intervention, Captain Ducky suggested they take the cookies when the aliens (the Lambs) are not looking and to high tail it out of there. Pembleton agreed, stating “it is the logical thing to do.” They beamed Cadet Ted and Cadet Blizzard to the location of the cookies to retrieve them quickly, before the aliens noticed. They were safely beamed back to the ship. Before eating, Pembleton preformed a complete scan to ensure the cookies were safe. Once it was complete, they enjoyed their snack time.
“Live Long and Eat Cookies”
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One day at recess. Ducky and Ted were playing with soap bubbles. Ducky had a giant blue wand that he was using to make large bubbles. Ted was running around and popping the bubbles. Each new bubble got bigger and bigger, as Ducky perfected his bubble making. One bubble was so big and so strong that when Ted went to pop it, he fell into the bubble and started to float away.
Ducky was horrified. He shouted for help. Pembleton saw what was happening and rushed to get his special plunger, he often uses to get cats out of trees. He aimed; he fired, and thankfully rescued Ted.
From now on, Ducky won’t blow bubbles, or at least not till he figures out a safer way when Ted is around.
Do you have any ideas on how to keep Ted safe, while blowing big bubbles?
Help Ducky, by leaving your ideas in the comment section below!
“Help, get me down!”
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This weekend, Ducky, Pembleton, Ted, and Blizzard flew up to Vermont to enjoy the last days of the fall berries. Pembleton came up with the idea to pick some blueberries and bring them home so that the Lambs could make a blueberry pie.
When they got to Vermont, they met some of the local animals and asked them where they could find the best blueberry patch. A porcupine told them about a human farm, but Pembleton said they would have to pay the farmer, and Ducky didn’t have any money. Plus, they prefer wild blueberries because they are sweeter. Then they met a black bear cub who told them about a patch of never ending blueberry bushes in a field between two small mountains. After several hours of hiking, they finally reached the BEST BLUEBERRY PATCH IN THE WORLD!
Somehow only Pembleton managed to collect blueberries for the pie, while Ducky and the Lil’ Guys got a belly ache from eating so many blueberries. Blizzard was practically all purple from blueberry juice. They had a great day.
“Ducky! The blueberries are for the pie not your belly!”, said Pembleton.
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Ducky and Pembleton were called on another rescue mission. This time two black bear cubs in the Adirondacks got themselves in a pickle. While playing, they stumbled on an abandoned camp site and smelled something wonderful – jelly donuts. The donuts were inside of a big green box made of metal. One cub helped boost his brother up to grab the donuts, but they were just out of reach. He tried and he tried, until he fell into the big green box. Then he realized he was stuck and began to panic. His brother ran to get their mother. When she arrived, she was not too happy. After looking around, she decided there was only one way to get him out. She had to call Ducky and Pembleton, the Animal Rescuers.
Ducky and Pembleton received the message from a carrier pigeon and were on their way. This time, they took Pembleton’s helicopter. Shortly after arriving they were able to get the little guy out, safely and Ducky gave them fresh black berry jelly donuts.
When they got home Ducky went straight to the kitchen for his afternoon snack. “Hey where is my PB & Fluff sandwich?” Ducky asked. “Lambs! Lambs! LAMBSSSSSSSSSS!” He shouted.
“It looks like the Lambs are gone.” Pembleton said as he read a note left by Mr. Lamb.
(Find out where the Lambs are, in tomorrows post!)
“Help Ducky! Help!”
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Ducky was rummaging through his old toy box, when he found his sheriff’s costume (badge and all). After making sure everything fit, he started his patrol. While making his rounds, he noticed something was different in the kitchen. He pushed a step stool to the counter, hopped up, and noticed there were NO COOKIES in the cookie jar!
Ducky was so upset. He was on a mission to find the culprit. First, he suspected the Lambs. But they only like ginger snaps and these were chocolate chip. Then he questioned Bear and Appa, but they had not been in the kitchen since dinner. Last, but not least, Ducky interrogated Pembleton. While giving Pembleton the third degree, Pembleton picked a crumb off of Ducky’s chest feathers and gave him the stink eye. “Excuse me Ducky, but I believe you were the last to eat the cookies. These crumbs are evidence.”
“Umm..Umm… No I didn’t.” Ducky said slowly backing away.
“Yes, you did! The lil’ guys even saw you!” Pembleton accused. “I’m going to need your badge and cap guns, and you’re in time out until the parents get home.”
Ducky stomped his boots and fired off his pop guns into the air yelling “I’m not going to time out and you can’t make me.”
But with one super look, Ducky knew Pembleton was serious. Ducky sadly handed his badge and guns over to Pembleton and marched to time out, pouting along the way.
“You can’t make me go to time out!”
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This morning, Ducky, Ted, and Blizzard slipped out of the house while Pembleton was working on one of his science projects. They were going to meet Ducky’s old friend Potbelly Phil for a mud party. Pembleton never lets Ducky take Ted or Blizzard to play in Potbelly’s mud hole after seeing how dirty the place was. Ducky figured they could sneak out for a few hours before school, and Pembleton would never even know they were gone. Unfortunately, somehow, Pembleton found out.
Mud Party!!!!
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Every year around this time, the gang goes out to find their pumpkin friend named Jack. This weekend they found him! Ducky, Pembleton and the rest of the gang are so excited to have Jack back.
Jack has not been carved yet, but they all have their thinking caps on and are coming up with ideas. How do you think Jack should be carved?
(Leave your ideas in the comment box!)
Here are some pictures from last year. They went with the traditional look.
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- Jack 2011
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- We are both round!
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- I like this hat.
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- Letting loose!
Happy DUCKTOBER!
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“Hear ye! Hear ye! The great Emperor Ducky has declared that the tenth month will be known from now on as Ducktober! It will be celebrated with great animal festivals, merrymaking, hot chocolate, and lots of dessert. Happy Ducktober!!!”
–D.t. (Ducky ted)
Hear Ye Hear Ye!
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What is a Robot?
Ted and Blizzard asked Pembleton: “What is a Robot? ” Pembleton got so excited he took them to his laboratory to explain.
“Robots come in all shapes and sizes. They have a computer for a brain, and sensors and moving parts that help them complete specific tasks. Robots are used to make cars, computers, to help rescue people or animals from disasters, and clean around the house.” Pembleton explained to the Lil’ Guys.
“Wow, they can clean up around the house?!?” said Ted super excited.
“Did you know robots can also be your friend, and play games with you?” Pembleton added.
“We need one,” Blizzard and Ted said at the same time while they jumped up and down.
Until Next Time, Pembleton wants you to KEEP BEING CURIOUS!
Pembleton asks, “What science subject would you like me to explain next?” Please leave in the comment section below.
One night while sleeping, Ducky heard a noise. He noticed a dim glow from the kitchen. Someone was looking in the fridge. He woke Pembleton up and told him he saw a light in the kitchen. Pembleton looked over, saw nothing, and told Ducky go back to sleep. Ducky was sure he saw something. Then he heard crunching noises coming from the living room and whispers of his favorite sitcom on TV. He woke Pembleton up again. This time Pembleton was super grumpy, heard nothing, and told Ducky he better go back to sleep.
The next morning, Pembleton went to get his favorite morning treat- Raisin Bran, but there were only crumbs inside. Pembleton knew Ducky didn’t eat his cereal, because Ducky hates Raisin Bran. Then Pembleton heard a whimper. Someone had eaten Ducky’s favorite cereal too! In the living room, they noticed the pillows and blanket on the couch were rumpled.
Convinced someone must have snuck into the house the night before, the boys came up with a plan. Pembleton got a cardboard box and cut out an eye hole for their stakeout. They would stay up all night, to catch the cereal thief.
Later that night, while Ducky was snoozing in the box, Pembleton, struggling to stay away, heard a noise. He poked Ducky, “Shh, be quite Ducky, someone is in the house.” They both stood very still and looked out the peep hole. Then they saw the intruder, a fat little rat wearing a green felt hat with a feather. They tip toed their box closer, before jumping out and wrestling the intruder to the ground.
“Who are you? And why did you take our food?” shouted Ducky.
“I mean no harm. Please don’t hurt me”, whimpered the little rat.
“We won’t hurt you, but who are you?” Pembleton said trying to calm the little guy.
“My name is Rumpelstiltskin, and I’m just a lonely, hungry mouse.”
“A mouse?” Ducky and Pembleton said skeptically in unison.
“Yes, a mouse, without a house or food or family! I like coming to your cozy house, because you have good snacks and cable.”
“You know you didn’t have to sneak in.” Pembleton said. “All you had to do was ask.”
“Really?”
“Really” said Ducky. “But we need to know, so we have enough snacks for everyone.”
From then on, Rumpelstiltskin came to visit every night and Ducky and Rumpelstiltskin became fast friends often making mischief together. Pembleton, was a little slower to warm up to the “mouse” in their house, but eventually he became friends too.
Capturing Rumpelstiltskin
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Saturday was the first day of fall. Now that things have slowed down and no animals need rescuing, Ducky, Pembleton, and the lil’ guys celebrated by snuggling up in a blanket to watch Charlotte’s Web and drinking spiced apple cider in their special mugs.
Mmmm… Spiced apple cider….
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*Mugs painted by Timothy
Early this morning, Pembleton received a phone call from the International Society of Animal Vulcanologists. Mount Fuego in Guatemala had erupted with almost no warning! The society had evacuated most of the local animals, but there were still several families missing. Pembleton, thinking that Ducky would just get in the way, snuck out of the house and headed to the airfield where his plane was being prepped for takeoff.
Several minutes into the flight, Pembleton heard strange noises coming from the copilot’s compartment. Looking behind, Pembleton found a round ball of fluffy feathers rifling through his lunchbox. “Where are all the good snacks?”, Ducky asked.
Pembleton was shocked. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to help save the animals.”
“I thought you were sleeping. How did know that I was going on a mission?”
“The aroma of PB&J woke me up, when you were packing your lunchbox this morning. So I decided to find out what you were up to”, Ducky said with an innocent grin. “Can I fly the plane?”
“No!”
“Plus you know you can’t go rescuing animals without me. You need me because we are a team! … Can I fly the plane now?”
“No!”
Ducky and Pembleton raced towards the volcano where they were able to help rescue all of the missing families near Mount Fuego. After a hard days work, Ducky and Pembleton enjoyed PB&J sandwhiches and headed home. Pembleton never let Ducky fly the plane.
This story is dedicated to our little panda buddy at the National Zoo, who sadly passed away today.
Flying to the rescue over Mt Fuego.
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