It Is Raining Frogs!

   I get the giggles whenever someone tells me that it "rained" frogs.  What are they thinking?  I guess frogs go to great heights to lay those eggs.  I know they want fresh water (mostly) and, well, clouds are about the freshest there is but logic tells you that it does NOT rain frogs. It is not unconceivable that a strong wind or tornado might have picked up some hapless creatures and dumped them somewhere but literally raining frogs (or fish or any other creature) is not a thing. Those tiny frogs that are out and about after a rainy spell merely morphed at the opportune time to get out of their bog and explore the yard or perhaps they were literally washed out of their habitat.   It is a great time for them to be out hunting since insects are being washed off of plants and as a lot of larger predators are seeking shelter.  The little froglets and "toadlets" can feel relatively safe as they find their first meals.

  The storm that sits over the Bayou (and has been for the past few days) has brought out all sorts of critters.  On a quick hike about the place, I felt almost like a murderer!  I could not help but step of hundreds of baby toads and frogs.  (Thank goodness they are squishable and can still survive!) The yard was literally covered with the creatures.  The toads were only about the size of a pea! Thousands upon thousands were hippity-hopping everywhere.  It was the massive amount and the recent rains that made me think about those who truly believe frogs come from clouds.  Some folks just ain't right in the head.  Go find any puddle that has been sitting for longer than a week and you will find the source of the critters.  Tadpoles!  Tadpoles, my friends, reside in water!  Not clouds.  Not the sky...what a mess that would be.  Geez!

The Littlest Frog

   During the recent tropical storm, I had to escape the confines of the Little Bayou House.  While it is not normally my nature to traipse about in hurricanes, tropical storms are a different story.  They sort of beg to be explored.  The winds were whipping pretty heavily on the east and south sides of the house but the north side was blocked and relatively calm.  Occasionally, a huge gust would find its way between the shed and house and wobble things about a bit but those gusts were scarce.  I did have to watch for torrential downpours that came unannounced and suddenly.  My short hikes were interesting with lots of "finds". 

  At one point, I hunkered down under the orange trees to escape the rain.  The thick leaves served well as a makeshift umbrella for a few moments.  It was there that I had a perfect view of the Frog Pond and its inhabitants.  It was also there that I got the gut-wrenching feeling that a cottonmouth might be lurking in the same thicket.  That ended that!  Once the rain stopped, I eased closer to the little pond to watch the frogs.  It was morphing time for the tadpoles!  Dozens of tiny green tree frogs were gaining the legs and were learning to swim using them instead of a tail.  One tiny froglet was having the most fun scooting itself across the water.  It got adventurous and decided to swim all the way across the pond to the lily pads.  With just inches to go, it tired.  Poor tiny tot was exhausted!

  Just in the nick of time, a wispy, hair-thin fiber floated out from the lilies and offered assistance.  Yeah, I made that up.  The fiber just happened to be in the right spot at the right time.  The little froglet grasp hold to the fiber and held tight. It had a resting spot!  The thread was sturdy enough to hold the frog and allow it to regain its strength.  Soon, the tiny froglet was able to climb up in the lily pads and hide from any predators.  Hopefully, the ribbon snake that was in the garden will not venture into the pond.  Last spring, that rascal ate dozens upon dozens of the baby tree frogs.  My little guy sure better watch its step!  It is far too tiny to do much exploring at this stage.

Change of Occupancy

  Yesterday when the old dog and I were meandering about the hillside, we stopped by the little Frog Pond.  Dozens upon dozens of tiny green tree frogs were climbing up out of the water and onto the lily pads.  They were making that change from tadpole to frog and were such wee, little things!  Oh, how cute they were!!  Even the old dog, Mr. PJ had to stop and take a gander at the little squirts.  He seemed to be as amused as I was.  That was all too adorable but, then, we fast forward until today.  That cuteness has gone and has been replaced by another almost as interesting (albeit tragic in a sense) scenario.

  After painting a couple of dozen boards for window screens, I decided it was time to change up chores.  The hand needed a break from the paint brush.  I swapped to a pitchfork and started hauling away the wisteria vines that had been recently trimmed.  This job was right next to the Frog Pond.  While I was working, I often looked at the little frogs but, suddenly, a swift movement disturbed the water.  Oh, my!  A snake was after the frogs!  Sure enough, a slender, brown snake gulped down a tiny frog then darted to another lily pad where it gulped another.  It was time to stop work and watch nature at its best.

  A Common Ribbon Snake was making short work of the tiny frogs that dotted the lily pads.  Another local name for this snake is Swift Garter Snake (even though that is not a correct identity) and I could fully appreciate the swift part.  This snake was truly speedy!  It darted about so quickly that it was hard to keep track of where the snake was!  In and out of the lily pads, under the water hyacinths, through the elephant ears it went and all the while snatching frogs from their perches.  At last count, I found 3 frogs remaining.  While that fact did not make me happy, seeing the little snake did.  Nature never ceases to amaze me.

 

A Hoppin' Good Day!

  This morning started off with squalls on the horizon.  While Mark told me that "they will pass over", I had this sinking feeling that was not to be the case.  I have learned to never believe him when he utters those words!  There have been far too many times that we have returned soaking wet from fishing trips out on the Bay.  "The cloud will pass over!" is not something I want to hear from him!  I know better!  Water will pour from the sky just minutes after the statement leaves his mouth! Sure enough, those squalls decided to hang around the Bayou for the entire day.  Only quick dashes outside were possible and then were usually to gather tomatoes or rush something out to the compost pile.  

  

  It was on one of those rushed outings that frogs could be spied everywhere!  Those little guys loved the drippy day!  Of course there were the assorted bullfrogs, green frogs and bronze frogs in and around the Frog Pond but I was more excited about the tiny toads and baby green tree frogs that had just morphed from tadpoles.  Most were no bigger than a pea and were so adorable!

  Mark and I found hundreds of baby toads hopping about the yard, dozens and dozens of baby tree frogs on lily pads, and any plant near the pond and lots of adult frogs just lounging about the grass and pond edge.  Am I the only person that loves seeing the yard just hopping mad with frogs of all types?  Probably.  But, hey, at least it brightened a rainy day!

Time to go!

   For the past few months, the Frog Pond has been an active place.  The American Toads were the first to pay the little pond a visit.  They come (as do the others) to mate and lay their eggs in the fresh water that the pond provides.  American Green Tree Frogs, Leopard Frogs and Bull Frogs come in shifts after the toads.  With the first warm nights and thence afterwards for the entire summer, the little pond is filled with eggs and tadpoles.  This used to be a goldfish pond.  Then when the goldfish escaped during Hurricane Katrina, it became a Dragonfly Pond.  The toads and frogs eventually took over and I gave up trying to have anything else.  The small concrete pond became the Frog Pond. This suits me fine as I enjoy hearing the chorus of calls each evening.  

  I was out back this morning when I noticed that some of our tadpoles were escaping the confines of the small pond.  Hundreds of little froggies were climbing up the sides of the pond.  There they sat sunning themselves before heading out into the vast and sometimes treacherous world ahead of them.  There are all sorts of predators that would love to dine upon frog legs even if those frog legs are teeny-tiny.  Each of these tiny tots were rather large tadpoles just two days ago when I last checked. A few had their back legs but most were still "legless".  It is amazing how quickly they develop into frogs!  

  Now these guys will hop around the garden until they are large enough to make their way down to the creek and bayou. A few will actually make the trek against all odds.  Birds, coons, 'possums, lizards, snakes and even other frogs will snatch them up given a chance.  Invariably, a few will make it safely and then hike it back up the hill as adults to start the cycle all over again.  It seems that the Frog Pond is the nursery of choice for a good many of the local frogs and toads. Perhaps I should have made it a bit larger to house all of the infants left in its care!  Let the nightly chorus begin!  The romantic serenade of froggy love is filling the night air!

Pond Invasion!

I was out catching grasshoppers..(remember..I am feeding two babybirds)..when I noticed something a bit strange about the goldfish pond. Actually at the moment, it is more a goldfishless pond than a goldfish pond. We lack fish. Which is ok by me, as I always had to feed the fish and clean the pond so you could see the fish. Now, it is more a frog pond! Yep, new name.. The Frog Pond! But as I said, I noticed something strange. The top of this pond is now covered with lilypads. There are a few blooming but mostly it is just the lilypads. I did not have my glasses on but I could make out some tiny little splashes here and there almost like raindrops. This could not be..there was not a cloud in the sky! I walked a bit closer. Perhaps because I had grasshoppers on the mind or perhaps because the eyesight is not what it used to be, but there appeared to be tiny green insects hopping about on the lilypads! Ok..I decided enough was enough..put the glasses on and stop staring at a big blur! Once the spectacles came off the top of the head and down over the eyes like they are supposed to be worn, the mystery was solved!

There, in the newly named Frog Pond was..of all things..baby frogs! Hundreds of tiny, green frogs no bigger than a minute! They were everywhere! On the lilypads, on the irises, in the water and even in the water lilies themselves. From all indications the tiny green amphibians appear to be tree frogs. Hundreds and hundreds of tree frogs! I must admit that I am elated and hope that no birds or beasts take a liking to baby frogs for supper. Earlier there was a turtle in the pond scooping up larger tadpoles but perhaps the frogs will be a difficult catch for a slow-moving tortoise! At least I hope...

While out and about, I noticed a problem with the day lilies. For some strange reason, the blossoms do not open properly. Each morning, I have to manually open the buds. The tops are always stuck together and the bloom will not open fully. I am wondering if this has anything to do with the drought that we are enduring this summer. Perhaps there is not enough moisture to allow the blooms to fully develop or perhaps when the bud was small, the lack of water stunted the growth..I just do not know. Early each morning, I have to go out, separate the petals on each bloom. Once I do, they seem to burst open! I hope this is not something that is going to happen each year, but at least they are blooming. On the other side of the house, nary a blossom from the day lilies. Even the leaves look bad..but then most every plant in the yard is beginning to wither. The drought is definitely taking its toll on the garden and yard, so if anyone has any rain to spare..send it our way! Please!