Mummy Frog!!

    It is no small wonder that strange things can often be found on the Bayou.  Just mentioning the fact that I live on a bayou, gets folks' minds reeling with all sorts of odd ideas but, then, a lot of those ideas are factual and not in the least odd.  Still finding oddities on my hikes, in the gardens or even inside the Little Bayou House has become a quest of mine.  If a "treasure" is discovered, it often makes its way into a trove of quirky keepsakes.  These are often kept in the greenhouse as I have been told that the Little Bayou House is overflowing.  Just so you will know, it has been brought to my attention several times that I have been designated "The Keeper of Weird and Wonderful Things".  Perhaps this is an honorary name but, more likely, it is a nice way of saying "You are a hoarder."  To be honest, I do have a lot of things.  To be equally honest, not all things are permanently housed here.  They often go as quickly as they come.  

  Today, I had to laugh as yet another oddity was found.  I cannot call this one a treasure although the thought did fleetingly pass through the brain that I "should" keep it.  Better judgement ruled...this time.  Thankfully!  This was a frog.  Yes, a frog.  No, I did not keep it.  

  Just outside the kitchen windows, there sits a small pond.  Once, this held beautiful goldfish but Hurricane Katrina took my fish elsewhere so the pond sat empty for several years.  Now, the "Goldfish Pond" has become the "Frog Pond".  I am just as happy to have about a thousand assorted frogs playing happily in the pond as I was a dozen fish.  (A "thousand" is pushing it as far as the number but you get the idea.)  Early this morning as I was sipping my first mug of coffee, I sat listening to the froggy symphony, as I do each morning.  Then, a frog was much nearer!  Uh, oh!  First thought was that the critter was inside the house but then I realized that it was trapped between the window and window screen.  That little rascal had squirmed its way in there then could not get back outside!  When Son awoke, I told him the predicament and requested a bit of help in catching the critter.  I do not mind catching and holding a frog but I really did not want to lose it in the kitchen.  He obliged and set forth with the quest.  The tall french window was opened and he found a frog.  Well, THAT was definitely not MY frog!  Mine chirped!  This frog was a corpse!  It was a mummified, dried out, dead critter!  The poor frog had gotten itself tangled in a spiderweb and I suppose the spider ate well, I guess.

  Son handed me the dead frog.  Well, thanks.  Just what I needed.  I proceeded to go out the backdoor  to dispose of the rock-hard critter when I heard Son say "You know, that frog would make a really cool Halloween decoration. He looks kind of evil with his mouth open.  Sort of looks like it is giving an evil laugh."  I stopped in my tracks, peered down at the dead frog and started having wild thoughts bounce around in the brain.  I could....if I would...maybe by doing...NO!!!  NO!!! NO!!!  I AM NOT KEEPING A DEAD FROG!  With that, the frog was tossed out the back door but not before Mummy Frog and I had a photo session.  Yeah, not the best way to be disposed of after its untimely death but I did not want to give myself any time for second thoughts.  NO! I AM NOT KEEPING A DEAD FROG!  It IS rather evil looking, however...maybe?  NO!! NO!! NO!!  He is rather cool looking, though...in a sort of morbid way.  By the way, we never did find that live frog!