Beyond Words

I saw one today. Actually, I saw two. Jeeps with rubber ducks on their dashboards. They are everywhere and as a lover of rubber ducks, I had to learn why. It’s actually a fun story, as is the history behind the little rubber toy. Let’s dive in…

According to “Reader’s Digest,” it all started back in 2020 in Ontario, Canada. Officially called “Jeep Ducking,” the movement started after Jeep owner Allison Parliament had an argument with someone at a gas station. Her friend tried to calm Parliament down and what seemed to do the trick was a bag of rubber ducks, one of which Parliament placed on a stranger’s Jeep with a simple “Nice Jeep” note. The Jeep owner loved it and posted it on social media. The rest is no lame duck history.

Not only do I love rubber ducks and collect them, I love that at the heart of Jeep Ducking is to put a smile on someone’s face. I’m not even a Jeep owner but when I see a dashboard full of little rubber ducks, it puts a smile on my face. You could say they quack me up!

I’m not sure when or why I became enamored with rubber ducks. Maybe it was their cheerful face or happy color. Today I have them in various spots in our home and I always try to purchase one on trips or at special events. My collection is quite extensive and a bit historic.

The origin of the rubber duck itself is also historic albeit humble. Maybe that’s what I like about them. They’re happy and they’re humble. Nothing fancy. Just cheery.

According to the Rubber Duck Museum in Point Roberts, Washington (how fun would that be for me?!), the origin of the rubber duck traces back to the late 19^th century with the advent of vulcanized rubber patented by Charles Goodyear. The material allowed for the production of a variety of rubber products like tires, but also toys. Hmmmm…very interesting, right?

It wasn’t until the 1940s that sculptor Peter Ganine patented a design for a floating toy duck and chew toy. Ganine is believed to have been the now familiar duck’s primary designer and reportedly sold more than 50 million of them.

The soft bath toy we all know and love today was originally made of hard rubber but later the advancement in materials led to the use of soft vinyl. By the early 1960s, the vinyl ducks were free from patent restriction and became bathroom fixtures. The cuteness of them and their iconic squeaker became childhood bath toys and joys and a soothing presence for children with apprehensions about being dipped into water. Children loved them so it’s fitting that it took a children’s TV icon to turn them into eternal icons.

Fast forward to 1970 when, on the first season of television show “Sesame Street,” beloved character Ernie splashed around in a tub while singing the “Rubber Duckie” song. (you’re singing it now, right?!) The song achieved widespread popularity, selling more than 1 million copies and reaching No. 16 on the “Billboard Hot 100” chart. It should come as no surprise then, that the classic yellow duck was “in-duck-ted” into the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, NY in 2013.

Various rubber ducks have since appeared in movies, commercials, and art installations; are popular gifts and marketing tools; are stars of many charitable rubber duck races nationwide; and have their own National Rubber Duck Recognition Day every January 4. Some are the original yellow, but others now come in a variety of colors and themes including celebrities, sports teams, holidays, and famous destinations all while remaining a symbol of relaxation and childhood innocence. What’s not to love?

But back to Jeeps.

It’s no secret that Jeeps are more than cars. They are a lifestyle and their owners consider themselves part of a community with a shared passion for the brand of vehicles. It’s perfect then, that this community has its own little but growing tradition all its own.

So, can anyone “duck duck Jeep” or is it all just reserved for Jeep owners? My inkling is only Jeep owners receive and display their ducks but perhaps anyone can “duck” a Jeep owner. If you’re inclined, simply place a duck just outside a Jeep driver’s side window, near the windshield wiper, or in front of any inspection stickers. Traditional two-inch ducks are the norm and finding one should be a surprise. Other than all this, what I love of Jeep Ducking is that the trend isn’t an effort to bring or spread awareness about any specific cause (thank goodness…we have enough of those!) but is instead a simple and sweet way of bringing a smile to someone’s face…often a stranger, which is even cooler. In other words, the only rule of Jeep Ducking is kindness and adding joy to someone’s perhaps otherwise regular day.

What to do if you find a duck on your Jeep? Most say to take a photo of it and post it on social media with the hashtag #duckduckjeep. Then, put the duck on your dashboard. You can keep that duck forever or pay it forward and give it to another Jeep owner. Again, kindness is at the heart of it all.

All of this has not gone unnoticed by Jeep corporate, which proudly displayed an 8,000-pound, six-story-tall yellow duck at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Learning this makes me smile and hopefully brought a smile to your otherwise normal or stressful day.

About The Rubber Duck Museum

The world’s first and only rubber duck museum is located in Point Roberts, Washington, which sits right near the U.S.-Canadian border near Vancouver, and features 30 rare historical rubber duck artifacts ranging from the early 1900s to today. The extensive collection includes a duck dating back to 1911, original rubber ducks used by Ernie on Sesame Street, and an original mold from the Donald Duck toy created by Disney in the 1930s. Also included are more than 2,000 ducks for sale ranging from standard to large sizes and featuring a variety of themes. Admission is free.

They are honored and acknowledged every May on Mother’s Day, but when you think about it, moms are everywhere all the time. Mother Nature. Mother-of-Pearl. Mother, may I? Mother lode. Mother Teresa. Hello Muddah. Mother Goose. Mother Hubbard. Mother Superior. Mother Mary. The Queen Mum. Mommie dearest. Mother Ship. Mother Earth.

The list goes on and on. You could say it’s the mother of all lists.

It’s been several weeks since my sweet momma officially left Mother Earth to be with Father God and two weeks since we said our final goodbyes. Each day is different but each and every day I think about her and miss her.

I look at photos of her. I look at big and little things I have around the house that were hers or that she gave me. And I look at photos of my childhood home in Santa Fe, which she lived in until a move to assisted living was needed as she hit her 90s. Photos of that beloved home are hard to look at. I can hear every drawer open and close. I can feel the carpet under my feet. And I can hear the front door open as she welcomed us home after a long drive. My memories in that home are infinite. I’d give anything to walk into it again but the buyer has remodeled and updated it. It would be fun to see his final product, but at the same time it wouldn’t be the same.

French novelist Marcel Proust’s writes that among many abiding lessons is that “a longing for our childhood home never leaves us. Wherever we live, we carry inside us a vision of the place in which we were, if not in every case happiest, then first conscious of the world beyond us.” I concur Mr. Proust.

Life wasn’t always perfect growing up, but my mom did her best and tried her best. She was there as I walked home for lunch in elementary school, making me a sandwich while ironing or watching “As the World Turns.” She bought us nice clothes for those special occassions like Christmas and Easter. She had class and style and was the envy of many for her beauty. She passed on beauty tips to my two sisters and me and taught me how to make green chile stacked enchiladas.

She was right there by my side as she and my dad drove me to school at the University of Oklahoma and she stood for both her and my dad at my wedding many years later. She was the quintessential “June Cleaver” mom and wife but she was also so dang strong. Yeah she also stood with me and for me, but she stood strong too.

My mom was my husband’s and my last surviving parent so I guess we’re officially orphans. We’re at that age where many friends are also members of that unenviable guild. But, as much as I will miss my mom, she lived a good life, albeit one that consisted of many years without her beloved husband and my dad, who passed away my senior year at college. She was 94 years old but our family will forever think of her as “folley-fo,” as she used to joke about being 44. Ironically, my niece and her granddaughter turned “folley-fo” this year.

Don’t blink.

Thank you mom. Thank you for giving me your Catholic faith and teaching me manners and style. Thank you for your prayers and your patience when I wasn’t making the greatest choices and decisions. Thank you for teaching me that perfume is always a must regardless of income or budget and for letting me have dogs growing up. Thank you for sacrificing for me…from out-of-state tuition to our beautiful wedding in Santa Fe all without dad there and for always being there for me. I’m who and where I am because of you and I am forever grateful.

And finally, thank so many of you. Thank you to the many friends and family members who have reached out, continue to reach out, and have filled my life with love and comfort. I’m still getting cards in the mail daily and I can’t thank y’all enough as each one makes my day and warms my heart. Masses are also being said, for which I’m forever grateful. And the flowers and plants. So many beautiful flowers and plants! Thank you, sweet friends, you know who you are and I will never forget your thoughtfulness. Lastly, thank you to those reading this who attended my mom’s mass and burial. They say it’s times like these that you learn who is truly there for you and I couldn’t agree more. From the bottom of my broken heart, thank you.

One special gift I received is a beautiful original watercolor of a cardinal from my four college buddies. As many believe, cardinals symbolize hope, love, good fortune, spiritual connection, and are often seen as messengers from loved ones who have passed away. Their vibrant red color is associated with vitality and the promise of new beginnings, making them a comforting presence during difficult times.

The symbolism of cardinals is deeply rooted in various cultures and beliefs, the most popular one probably being that when you see one, it’s a visit from a departed loved one. Cardinals also symbolize sincerity, loyalty, and love as they are monogamous birds. Native Americans associate them with good fortune and consider them lucky and believe cardinals are spiritual connectors between the earthbound and the divine. For many tribes, the northern cardinal is more than a bird; it’s a guide. Their red color, vibrant and fiery, is thought to embody vitality, energy, and significant change.

Within Christianity, the cardinal can represent the Blood of Christ, symbolizing renewal, sacrifice, and love and seeing them in of flight can symbolize a blessing from angels. Cardinals can live up to 15 years in the wild and seeing one is ultimately considered a blessing and a reminder to be attentive and grateful.

I’ve always found it interesting and even a bit unfair that much like peacocks and other birds, male cardinals are prettier, or I guess more handsome, then females. Seems to me it should be the opposite but what do I know? Sounds like something my mamma would know.