Note: I’ve been reading Dickens on my lunch break, and so my diction will be in his style (though lacking his wit) for some time here, until the effect passes off. Why ducks? Their benefits outweigh their detractions, which are these: That they are rather dense, and do not know to fly away from the …

Combination shed and coop. Therefore, “shoop.” It’s actually the first frame building I have ever built from the ground up (if you don’t count the wood shed, which as I’ve mentioned I’ll have to rebuild this spring. Too small). It’s 8 feet square with a pitched metal roof, a back window and a front door. …