Splat! Attack of the Frog!

   It is a rare thing when any of the critters of the Bayou startle me.  I am far more afraid of people of this old world than any critter.  In fact, it is not unheard of for me to claim that I like critters far more than I do people.  They are just better friends.  I do not fear the critters.  I admit to standing in awe of them but it is definitely not a fear...of any of them.  This morning, however, one of the most unlikely critters actually startled me.  Afterward, I felt highly amused.

  As usual, my morning trek to the pier was before daylight.  As I softly padded to the pier in my leather moccasins, I pondered what the sights may be on this day.  Would the alligators be out and about?  Would I find a cottonmouth slithering back undercover after a night of hunting?  Would the otters be playing along the shoreline?  There is a never-ending show occurring around the marshes.  This morning, all was quiet.  In fact, it was so still that I became fully engrossed in the dark clouds passing above the opposite shoreline.  This vision was so lovely that I decided to photograph it even though darkness still shrouded much of the area.  Just as I was about the click the camera, SPLAT!  Something cold, wet and slimy plastered itself against my face!  My hand jerked up and the camera recorded a bunch of squiggly lines.  Those were supposed to be lights on the shore not some weird alien message.

  Reaching up to my face, my hand clutched around a nice, plump frog.  Obviously, the critter had been on the light pole and decided to change places.  My face was a likely spot to land!  "Nope, Froggy!  Not this time."  Carefully, the wriggling critter was let loose on a nearby post.  "You sit there and behave!"  Ugh!  Frog slime on my face!  As a kid, I was always told not to wipe my face on my shirt but I do believe this instance allowed for it!  It is surprising how cold a frog is at 5am!  Froggy and I parted as friends, I got a few good shots of the skyline and all was well.