Advocate staff photo by John Oubre -- Duck decoy carvers Ricky Buras, left, and David Mendoza look at one of their carvings Saturday during Duck, Duck, Goose Day at Blurbonnet Swamp Nature Center.

The retired educator has been on a new journey of his own for the past 20 years. He creates, from a block of wood called tupelo, nature's creatures: ducks, geese and other waterfowl that recall ...