The pond is sleeping now. Six months ago it was active all through the night—or at least was active whenever I went by it, or even just went outside. The pond is on an adjacent property next to our driveway, about halfway between our house and our mailbox which is a quarter of a mile away. Sometimes I walk by it at night. In the summer, sometimes in the deep darkness of a new moon, I’d hear at least three different types of frogs: green frogs, leopard frogs, and the deep thrum of a single bullfrog calling out for a mate.
When we moved in to our new house we had fencing placed around the yard. The company that installed the fence left deep ruts in one corner and a day or two afterward it rained. The ruts filled up with water and the large puddle soon attracted the frogs from the pond. I went out one morning and found dots in mats of jelly.
Then the dots became commas, and then little swimmers. I realized the puddle was drying faster the tadpoles were developing so I took a jar and made several trips. I moved at least a hundred to the pond. Just before the puddle disappeared completely a bird helpfully removed the rest, leaving only three-pronged footprints in the mud.
I kept half a dozen in a jar in the garage, giving them fresh water each evening and a pinch of fish flakes every morning. It was a thrill to watch them grow and to release them to the pond where, I hoped, they’d start the cycle over.
It seemed like a few returned—I went out on the patio to find them clinging to the door or the underside of the roof. It’s more likely they were attracted by the bugs who were, in turn, attracted by the lights.
I kept a pair of cheap rubber shoes in the garage that I’d slip on whenever I had to go out, but then one day I found this.
I just said, Welcome home. And went to buy another pair of cheap rubber shoes for myself.
It’s wonderful seeing you back in my inbox! Many years ago when I had a lot of cats, they were fed and watered in our screened in porch. I had a gallon jug waterer that refilled whenever the level got low. One day I saw several of the cats surrounding the water jug and occasionally poking at it. I finally went out and saw the largest frog I’d ever seen plopped down and covering the entire access to the water. I almost screamed because it was HUGE and ugly. I got my husband to dump it outside and then scrubbed the plastic bowl part for about 40 minutes. Eventually I bought another one to replace it because I couldn’t get the ‘ick’ out of my mind. There were stories at that time about the poison frogs that pets were dying from just by licking it. Ick,ick, ick. Even to this day, ick.
Poison frogs are a serious thing but I also can’t help laughing at the image of a big frog in the water bowl. If it was a bullfrog it was harmless but they do get really big and have a distinctive call. They’re funny.
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