Take A Few Minutes To Be Kind

   With the summer's heat kicking it in high gear, most outdoor chores are attempted at daylight.  This morning saw me doing some trimming around the little Frog Pond and down around the blackberry vines.  It took nigh on three hours of cutting to finish the task that I had in mind to do but I was determined to keep at it.  While trimming near the little pond, I had to push deep into the ruby lilies.  Once there, I had to linger just a bit to converse with a sweet friend.  On one of the large lily leaves sat the cutest frog ever found!  Even though I was pushing that weedwhacker right up under the critter, it never moved.  It was a good ten minutes beforeI realized the poor thing was there. Once I did, I slowly moved back a bit as to not frighten it any more than I already had.  I felt bad as this must have been a pretty terrifying thing for the froggy!

  Turning off the machine and setting it aside, I decided to "apologize" for the disturbance.  Actually, that apology was more like a photo session but I did calmly talk to the frog.  Hopefully, it understood that I was after the weeds and not it!  Sometimes we all need to be reminded to check our surroundings before just plowing in.  I have a tendency to not do this.  In reality, however, it could save a life...a critter's...or even your own.  Had there been a cottonmouth hiding there instead of a frog, this might have been a different story altogether.  Folks, be careful and simply be aware of your surroundings.  That is always a good thing.  Happily, Froggy was none the worse for wear after this incident!

Just a Froggy in the Birdfeeder

  A friend recently came to the Little Bayou House and, as usual, we wound up meandering the garden paths.  She was fascinated (if not a bit squeamish) of all the critters that were found on our walk.  It seemed as if every step brought a new bug, lizard, frog, bird or snake.  With each, I would tell my friend a bit about the critter and, sometimes, relate a whimsical tale.  She was not sure if this life would be to her liking.  "How can you live here with so many creatures crawling about?", she asked.   Well, that was an easy question to answer.  "I befriend them!"  I went on to explain that I get along better with critters than people as critters never judge anyone.

  This morning, I befriended yet another critter.  I had put about two dozen purple basil plants in the garden yesterday so was aiming to give those a nice watering.  As I was spraying the basil plants, a slight movement near my head caught my attention.  Right at eyelevel, a green treefrog was perched in an empty birdfeeder.  Froggy was trying to catch a drink from the droplets.  Aww, the sweet froggy was ready to turn in for the day but needed one last sip before bedtime.  I eased the mist from the hose slightly toward the frog.  The little critter seemed mightily grateful for the kindness.   

  Friend Froggy (have not named this one yet) patiently sat with me as I finished the watering and took a photograph.  It then climbed up the side of the birdfeeder and across to the hollow driftwood holding the garden sign.  There, it snuggled in safely from the perils of the daytime hours.  I am sure, come nightfall, my new friend will be chiming in on the froggy serenade that lulls me to sleep each night.  Yep, I CAN live with the critters.  

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.  

Snug Little Home

  Today saw us preparing for the upcoming "winter".  So far, the worst we have had was a "near freeze" and a couple of "maybe freezes".  Supposedly, that is all to end with a "severe freeze".  My garden is not going to be happy.  The day started with rain so it was rather miserable work to split and stack the firewood that would see us through this next week.  The work had to be done, however, so Son and I set to it.  We managed to get enough for at least a week's burning in both wood-burning stoves so we turned our attention elsewhere.  Plants and pipes are covered but the in ground garden will have to wait.  Most likely, the 30 or so cabbages will have to be harvested and the rest will just have to suffer.  I am in hopes that the system will not swing down this far but it is a "wait and see" game, at this point.

  While doing chores, Son called my attention to yet another tiny tree frog.  This time, the little squirt decided to make its home in a hole in a brick.  Luckily for the frog, the brick is in the chimney which will provide some warmth for the critter.  Once the old stove is cranking out the heat, the bricks will warm and the froggy will be quite snug.  The metal stovepipe extends up inside the brick chimney so the smoke will not harm the froggy.

  It is probably sad by others' standards but I fret over my wild critter friends during times like this.  Extra food will be put out for any that need a bite to eat, the greenhouse will still have the eave vents left open so birds can seek shelter and the brush piles will not be cleared so other critters can be protected from the ice.  Most will snuggle down in their nests or dens but the steady rains will still cause a lot of problems.  Folks, be kind to the critters in inclement weather.  They deserve some sort of protection just as we do.

Froggy Sat

   While folks in other households were preparing to watch the football game, I was sitting on the steps conversing with a frog.  I figure I was doing something even more important than sitting for hours stuffing my gut with junk food and my brain with insignificant happenings.  At least, the frog is a lot more entertaining and a bunch cuter.

  This afternoon when the sun decided to warm up the place, I found that sitting on the front steps was delightful.  It did not take long before a friend joined me in the "sun-soaking".   A tiny green tree frog came out of its hiding place and sat on the weird moon lamp.  The lamp was right at my elbow so the frog was only a few inches from me.  This gave me the opportunity to study the entirety of the critter.  I was enthralled by the beauty of its eyes!  My goodness!  The eye was the color of polished copper but had the most unique bunch of squiggles throughout.  I promise...sometimes I thought I was seeing words or pictures in those squiggles!  Well, you know me.  I had to get a photograph of the froggy's eye.  I NEEDED an up close and personal photograph!  

  Never without the camera, I slipped on the macro lens and started work.  Froggy sat still.  The camera lens was literally about an inch and a half from the frog when I finally focused.   Froggy sat still.  Twenty three pictures later, I noticed that Froggy was dozing!  My little critter friend had complete trust that I would never harm him.  (In case it can be a learning tool, the bottom photograph shows the nictitating membrane (basically eyelid) that frogs have to protect their eyes.)

  After a bit, the sun started sliding down behind the pines and the air started chilling a bit.  It was time for me to head back inside and stoke the fire.  I reached over, stroked Froggy's little head and thanked him for the time spent.  I also told him to snuggle down in the hanging plant so he would be warm tonight.  (It is never a bad thing to show concern for your friends.)  I do believe my afternoon was far more interesting than being glued to a television set.  Froggy and I just sat still...and enjoyed each other's company.

The Owl In The Wall

 The ongoing work to repair the leaky roof and damaged wall is continuing.  Right now, heat lamps are drying the wood so that mold will not grow.  This leaves the exposed brick of the old fireplace in full view.  It is sad to say that I sort of like it this way.  I am sure that come November (post Halloween), I will see things with a different eye but, for now, I find this far too interesting...so much so that I posted a photo on social media.  I wanted to get an idea if others saw what I did.  There is an owl in my wall!  So, maybe this is not a living owl and maybe you have to have a good imagination but there is definitely an owl staring back at me each time I walk through the dining room.  The consensus was, indeed, an owl resided there but, not only an owl, but a whole host of other entities!  I was excited as folks started pointing out other beings.  

  It seems there is a whole following of people who actually spend hours just looking at images to find "hidden" things in them.  I find this intriguing!  How neat is it to see things in a different view?  To be able to view an ordinary photograph and pick out "unseen" items is pretty thought provoking, to say the least.  I sort of want to start taking random photographs just to see if anything "jumps" out at me!  

  It almost saddens me that after a few more days, my owl, a frog on the lily pad, a hairy ghost, a smirking lizard and a few other "faces" will be hidden from view.  Once Son repairs the water damage, my "friends" will be out of sight...not gone...just out of sight.  Goodbye, Wall Friends!

Morning Friend

  Early this morning, I had to wait a few minutes for Mark to join me for our daily fishing on the pier.  While he was putting on his shoes, I decided to sit on the front steps.  The arbor surrounding the french doors is the perfect place to grow shade loving plants so either side of the steps is a regular rainforest of plants.  On one side there is a large turmeric plant, several philodendrons and a couple of ferns.  On the other is a gigantic split leaf philodendron, some hostas and a couple of unknown plants that seem to love shade.  All of this greenery flanks the steps and is topped by several hanging ferns.  Sitting on the steps made me feel like I was sitting in the local nursery!

  Being as it was still early morning,  I had not checked out the yard.  Any critters that had come in from the marshes or out of the woods could very well be lingering about the place.  Suddenly, I had that eerie feeling that I was being watched.  Hmm, something had been drinking water from the Puddle Pond.  In fact, it was nigh on dry each morning.  We figured the family of deer were seeking fresh water since the area has been in a bit of a drought, as of late.  Maybe a couple still were hanging close?

  Sitting quietly, I scanned the area.  Nope, did not see a thing.  Still, the feeling of being watched was heavy.  Ok, so nothing was out in the gardens, it was time to look closer.  A small cottonmouth was under those very same steps about a week ago.  The darkness was not helping with my search but, soon, the peeping tom was found!  Right at my elbow was a tiny tree frog!  That big, ole, split leaf philodendron was the chosen spot for the frog's daytime resting.  I just happened to plop myself down right next to froggy!  Its, ok, Froggy!  You are welcome to live among the plants as you do a fine job of keeping them bug-free!  We are good.

The Handsome Prince!

  Yesterday, I found the fiery dragon in the garden.  As Queen of the Small Gardens, his presence elated me.  The protection of the garden plants rendered by a green anole is not to be scoffed at by mere humans!  The fiery dragon was welcomed and encouraged to live a long and happy life here.  The baby lizard is welcome to nestle down in the chrysanthemums any time he wishes!

  This morning's find was not a dragon but a handsome prince in disguise!  If you read faerie tales at all, you know that all frogs have that possibility of being an bewitched prince!  Yes, a quite lovely frog refused to move out of the pathway during my early morning stroll.  As I meandered the Small Gardens near the Puddle Pond, I nigh on stepped upon the poor critter!  This fine creature was also protecting the gardens as it was plucking caterpillars from the herbs!  What a handsome prince he was indeed!

  Since my queendom still is limited to the Small Gardens, I have found that more and more of my critter friends are moving nearer the gardens.  Frogs, snakes, lizards, turtles, toads, birds, squirrels, coons and fiddler crabs can be found scurrying about under the heavy leaves.  This is most likely due to the recent spate of rainstorms that have occurred over the past few weeks.  The nigh on daily rains have animals seeking dry spots.  Personally, however, since I am having to live in a make-believe world to overcome boredom, I prefer to think these fine friends are coming to visit me.  As Queen, I can do that.

The Standoff!

  The yard work continues!  Since Son is putting a loft in the shed and is busy from sunup to sundown, I have had to do my own construction for the gardens.  Yep, this old lady put in the fence!  I am happy with the results but have made a huge discovery.  Old ladies and post hole diggers are not compatible.   Never in my life have my arms felt so much like dead weight as they do this evening!  But...like I said, the fence is installed and I am happy with it (and all its imperfections).  

  I did have one encounter while clearing the area for the new garden fence.  A folded tarp had been set aside about a week ago and needed to be moved yet again.  No problem.  I would just grab the thing and move it myself.  As Pop used to say, "A little work never hurt anyone."  So, I grabbed but then felt something wiggling.  I dropped the tarp and pondered if I had inadvertently grabbed up a snake in the process.  The tarp was slowly unfolded to reveal my critter.  A frog stared at me with huge eyes.  Froggy was nervous about the giant (me) but was also refusing to budge.  I suppose the tarp had served as a warm spot for a few days and Froggy was not happy being disturbed. 

  Since a frog is not on my list of "no likes", I told it that the Frog Pond would be a much better place for it.  Obviously, Froggy agreed as it allowed me to catch it, tote it around back and rehome it with any further ado.  I am not sure why Froggy had decided the garden spot was a good home but do hope it will pay a visit now and again to eat the bugs that munch the plants.  

The Great Search!

  Considering how many predators there are roaming about the Bayou, one has to wonder how some of the smaller critters ever survive.  While in their own right, they are predators, size does not allow much in the way of defense.  Take, for instance, the green tree frog.  This tiny creature is a predator to bugs, slugs and even tinier frogs.  It has no fangs, no stinger and no claws.  The tree frog seems to be pretty much helpless when it comes to defending itself.  How can it go about its life without being eaten on the first day?

  This morning, I was out near the wild persimmon trees when I heard the call of a tree frog.  I turned toward the large clump of palmettos and searched for the frog.  The camouflage of the critter was superb!  It took me a while to find the frog but when I did, I marveled at how well the green matched the palm fronds. It seems that I do not have to worry about the frogs. It was like searching for Waldo!

  Between being able to hide so well, the green tree frogs reproduce at an exorbitant rate.  A few years ago, there were maybe a dozen frogs around the Frog Pond.  Now there are thousands.  The canebrake is full, palmetto clumps are full, the citrus trees are full and it is not unheard of to find them clinging to the house and shed as they snooze during the day.  It is by sheer numbers that the frogs can continue to exist.  You have to admire a mama that can lay 400 eggs each season!  Of course, out of those 400, probably only a dozen or so reach maturity.  Still, when you think about a thousand frogs laying hundreds of eggs....well, that is just a lot!  Carry on, Little Froggy.  Carry on.

Yep, you can pet frogs!

  A few months back, a young lad visited the Bayou.  He, like most boys his age, had a great interest in the Frog Pond.  He caught tadpoles and let them swim free from his hands, chased dragonflies and spent an hour or so croaking like a frog.  During this time, his grandmother kept telling him to "Be careful!", "Don't chase the frogs!" and "No, you cannot pet a frog!"  Well, I was all for the being careful.  You just never know when there might be a snake among the lily pads.  I was ok with not chasing the frogs, although, frogs don't really care.  It was that statement about not petting frogs that struck a chord.  Yep, you CAN pet frogs!  I know Grandma did not mean that it was wrong to pet them but rather that she did not think he COULD pet them.  Yep, you CAN pet frogs.

  There is one green frog that has been in the pond long enough to become familiar with me.  This little rascal sits on the side of the pond or beneath a piece of driftwood on the edge and is not easily frightened.  I have petted it many times and, well, that little boy needed to pet it, too.  After asking his grandmother's permission, I gave the lad careful instructions.  He needed to move slowly, be quiet and not make any sudden movements.  He agreed that he could do this so I let him proceed.  His grandma and I watched as he eased to the edge of the pond where the froggy sat.  Slowly, ever so slowly, he reached his hand down to the frog and, after a few seconds, started petting it!

  I have never seen so much excitement in a little fellow's eyes as I did then.  Even though you could tell that he was about to burst with glee, the little boy did not make any sudden movements to startle his new friend.  Once the frog had enough of the attention, it hopped into the water and swam to a lily pad and the little tyke bounced around the yard with sheer happiness.  Grandma, on the other hand, stood in disbelief of what she had just witnessed.  "Never in my dreams would I have guessed that he could pet that frog!" she exclaimed.  I just smiled. Yep, you CAN pet frogs.

Hiding Out!

  Sometimes, you just have to find a secret spot and hide out for a while.  It is a good way to collect your thoughts, find inner peace and do a bit of meditation.  It is, also, a good way to escape the heat!  While I had no idea of hiding out today, a sweet friend decided it was the best way to spend the day.

  After lunch today, a trip to the compost was necessary.  The walk to the pile takes me past the Frog Pond which is where my sweet friend resides.  Yep, it is a frog.  Try as I might, I could not find my little buddy.  Just as I was beginning to think a coon or fox had caught the frog, a small croak made me realize otherwise.  The critter was merely hiding from the bright sunshine and heat of the day.  On one part of the bank, a rather large piece of driftwood has been strategically placed to create a ramp for turtles or any other stranded critters that cannot climb the steep incline.  Part of this driftwood sits about four inches above the pond edging and that is where the froggy was hiding.  He had found a nice shady spot to spend the midday!  Smart frog!

  It is a little known fact that frogs can breathe through their skin.  When the frog is completely underwater, all of its oxygen is absorbed through its skin but even when the frog is ashore, that process can take place.  It does however have to remain in a cool, moist spot to allow for this. This is the main reason frogs are more active at night and hide during the day.  When the night air cools and the humidity rises, the skin stays damp.  During the daytime, a frog will hide beneath a log (or driftwood, in Froggy's case), in some crevice or nestled deep in mulch.  Not only is Froggy staying cool, he is breathing!  Breathe in, breathe out (even if it through your skin! Find your peace, Froggy!

Private Pond!

   When is a toad not a toad?  Answer...when it is a frog.  That's right.  As crazy as it may seem, while all toads are frogs, not all frogs are toads. Make sense?  Nope?  Good.  Because it does not to me either. This evening's focus is on the Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad...which happens to be a frog and NOT a toad.

  I was sitting in the rocking chair listening to evening fall around me when I heard a strange sound.  (Yes, you really can "hear" evening on the Bayou just like you can hear daybreak. The two sound totally different.)  Like I said, I heard an unusual sound.  Something was calling just to my right.  There was a small deck there with a few potted plants, a bench and a few knickknacks.  Not a one of those could be making that high-pitched "waaaaa!"  There was just enough light left in the day for me to go on a critter search!   It only took a few moments before I realized that the sound was coming from a large pan that held rainwater.  I had put a some of the flowers in the pan to allow them to soak up the life-giving water and, obviously, this tiny critter with the big mouth had decided it was home.  While the Toad Pond is on the other side of the house,swimming around in the pan was an Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad!  The little guy had his own personal-sized pond and we all know what that call was.  Yep, this little guy was letting his ladylove know that he found a suitable puddle for their nursery.  He just needed her to realize that he was the right frog for the job of daddyhood.

  One weird thing about these frogs is that while they have an ear-piercing call, they make that sound while almost completely submerged.  Only their little snouts will be above water.  Now a good thing about my little toad frog (heehee That finally fits!)  Ants and termites are the preferred diet of the Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad!  This little froggy has suddenly become a favorite of mine.  He can eat all of the ants and termites he can find.  Carry on with your...ummm...business, Little Toad Frog.  Find that wifey!  We need lots of little toad froggies!  Lots of them!

The Frog and the Grasshopper

  In the "real" world, frogs eat insects. It is a known fact.  Let a grasshopper or moth get near and...wham!..the frog has a meal.   In the real world, frogs and insects are not friends.  One is predator and the other is prey....in the real world.

  Sometimes, I think the Frog Pond has gone berserk.  Things are not as they should be.  This afternoon, I witnessed something that should not have been.  A grasshopper decided to perch atop a frog.  Huh?  That should not have happened!  What is this world coming to if frogs and insects are friends?   To be truthful, the frog was probably just tolerating its unlikely guest but, still, it seemed strange.  And granted, the grasshopper is a slight bit toxic and rather large so perhaps the frog was aware of the potential problem of trying to devour its visitor. As matter of fact, the grasshopper was almost as large as the frog!   But...still...

  An Eastern Lubber Grasshopper was making it way to the edge of the pond when, suddenly, it crawled on top of the little frog.  The frog was not about to even wiggle!  It just sat there looking rather dopey with a grasshopper sitting on its head!  I figured that perhaps the critters were staging this act just for me as a photographic opportunity so I took full advantage of it.  Dozens of pictures were taken just so I could "prove" that I actually witnessed the incident.  This was sort of like those times when someone claims to have seen Big Foot but have no proof.  I have proof of this unlikely friendship!  Now if I can just get a picture of our friend with huge feet!  I know we must have one out there somewhere as every bayou needs a legendary critter and not just friendly frogs!

Invite a Frog to Dinner!

  The Frog Pond is about the only place that is somewhat cool around here.  The False Indigo bushes drape over it providing a good bit of shade thus cooling the water.  Of course, the water lilies and water hyacinths do give a bit of shade toward the center of the little pond so, all in all, the frogs are happy campers.  With the temperatures peaking in the triple digits each day, any cool spot can become quite crowded.  The pond is just that....crowded.  Hundreds of frogs and toads of all types have moved in during their search for water.  It is hopping there!

  With all of those frogs competing for food, I did notice that a few of the larger ones are dining upon smaller ones and on tadpoles.  I guess it is just too tiring to hunt elsewhere during the heat of the day.  Their (almost) disturbing habit of eating anything and everything that wiggles got me curious.  Are frogs cannibals?  Yep.  They sure are.  Smaller frogs often become a meal for a larger one. Frogs are not picky eaters. Like I said, they will eat anything that wiggles.  It does not take much to convince a frog that some wadded up bit of string is actually edible.  A few strands of burlap tied to a string can be flipped out among the lilies to draw any number of frogs out into the open.  Flip that string long enough and wiggle it intensely and a dozen or so frogs will all be after it!  

  Another odd fact about frogs (one that few folks know) is that frogs shed their skin to keep it healthy.  Some types shed weekly while others may even shed daily.  So, that is cool....sort of...maybe.  The creepy part is that the frog will actually dine upon that old skin.  As the skin is sloughing off, the frog will actually start poking it in its mouth.  The old adage of "Waste not, want not" is in full power there!  The skin is full of nutrition and provides the frog with an easy meal.  Not one that I would prefer but frogs seem to delight in it.

  Since the tomato patch is not far from the Frog Pond, I have a front row seat to watch the antics of the critters living there.  They amuse me with their rambunctiousness and with their cacophony of croaks.  Their dining habits are a tad disgusting, though, so I really do not think I shall invite any frogs to supper.

Frogs Are Cool!

  Frogs are cool!  Disagree?  Well, think about it for a minute.  We are in the midst of our hottest part of summer.  Each day, the temperatures rise to the high nineties or even hit triple digits here on the Bayou.  Most days it feels like it is hotter than a slab of salt pork sizzling in an iron skillet.  We sweat, change shirts a dozen times a day and try to find ways of beating the heat.  At times like this, there is nothing better than an ice cold glass of water from the well!  But, still, it is HOT!  That is where the frogs are a lot smarter than us!  They are cool!

  This afternoon, I had a bout of pity for the tomato plants in the garden. Even with the nigh on daily afternoon thunderstorms, the plants are withering.  The sad looking plants looked as if they needed a good dousing with the water hose.  As I sat about doing just that, I could hear a lot of splashing and croaking coming from the Frog Pond.  Time to investigate!  

  Even the water level in the pond was showing the effects of the heat and the water lilies were "burnt to a crisp" from the hot sun. Those frogs, however, were having a joyous time!  I do believe they were actually playing!  One would climb up on the hollow stump that sits in one corner of the pond and start to croak victoriously.  As soon as the others heard the cacophony, one would leap from the pond edge or from a lily pad into the water and swim to the stump.  That frog would start to climb up the side of the stump.  As soon as it would get to the top, the "King of the Hill" frog would leapfrog over the top of the newcomer and into the water.  The new guy then took the position on top of the stump. His croaking would immediately draw the attention of another frog and the game would progress.  It was a never ending game of leapfrog!

  While I stood there watching (water hose in hand), the frogs all enjoyed a shower.  They never even slowed their game as I sprayed the cooling water on them.  What fun!  Yep, frogs are cool! 

All the Better to Hear You With!

  Nope, we are not reading Little Red Riding Hood today.  The phrase popped into my head while I was doing some yard work around the Frog Pond.  Frogs have ears!  Ok, so we all knew that they could hear.  That is quite obvious seeing how they jump for safety as soon as a twig snaps. BUT!  Do you know HOW they hear?  Have you ever seen a frog with ears?  It rather easy to spot human ears, dog ears, cat ears and cow ears.  You cannot miss rabbit ears, donkey ears, elephant ears and mouse ears.  But where, oh where, are those frog ears?  

  Frog ears are more internal than external.  The only visible part is the Tympanum which sort of relates to our eardrum.  This is a circle of membrane located just behind the eye of the frog.  This membrane does not actually process sound waves but merely transmits them to the inner ear.  There, the sound is processed so the frog can decipher just what danger is approaching or where the nearest buggy breakfast is located. This Tympanum allows the frog to even hear underwater!  The actual ear is internal making it protected from water and being poked by foreign objects.  Another neat thing is that inside the frog's head is a sort of pressure system that allows the frog to adjust its hearing to how loud things are.  The pressure stabilizes to "dull" loud sounds. Even the frog's own voice needs to be buffered.  Being as some frogs' calls can be heard a mile away, the sound would be deafening to any nearby or even the one doing the calling.  Just imagine it sort of like turning down the volume on a hearing aid.   Pretty neat stuff!

  Anyway, now you know that frogs can hear really well without any visible ears.  The next time you see a frog, look for its Tympanum!  It is a round or oval shaped membrane just behind the eye of the frog.  Froggy ears just look different than what we are used to seeing on critters but they can hear really well!

Just too good to skip!

  I admit that I probably take far too many photographs.  I am never without my camera handy and the poor old thing gets a good workout every day.  Picture after picture is taken.  Some I keep.  Many (most) I toss.  However, every now and again, I come across something here on the Bayou that is just far too perfect to skip.  The photograph can only be described as "Picture Perfect".

  

  A lot of folks "stage" photographs.  They will place certain items in among the area to make the picture more appealing.  When photographing wildlife, flora or fauna, it is hard to maneuver things to give that result.  You take things as they come.  Then, there are times like yesterday which proved to be the picture perfect moment...the perfect setting...perfect lighting...all things appealing.  The morning sun was casting a beautiful glow on my little friend!

  I was out painting the north side of the house when I noticed that a water lily was blooming in the Frog Pond.  While a picture of the lily would have been beautiful enough, add a bit fauna in there and it suddenly becomes an ideal opportunity.  My little froggy friend decided to hop right up on the lily pad to have his image recorded along with that of the flower.  How neat was that?

  Later, I went back to capture the lily fully opened but Froggy was missing.  Thank goodness for wonderful timing!  Oh, and I did not play in the Frog Pond all day!  I did finish my painting job!

 

Froggy Days!

  Perhaps it is due to the fact that we are doing a lot of work on the north side of the house next to the Frog Pond or perhaps it is just that I am drawn to the little critters but, here lately, my days seem to be centered around frogs.  I cannot escape the bouncy little guys (and gals!).  This morning, I was not even looking for them and they seemed to find me. Son has even taken to pointing out their quirky little ways to me. Today's critter was whiling away the day in its very own hammock of sorts.

  When Mark and Son started replacing the siding on the north face of the Little Bayou House, we had to do something with some interfering bushes, namely my orange trees.  Nope, I am not moving them.  Nope, I am not pruning them.  I refuse.  I absolutely, positively refuse.  So...the only other alternative was to corral the wide limbs and tie the trees to one side.  This worked well with one exception.  The rope used to tie the trees ran right across the pathway that leads through the yard.  Since this is a well used pathway, things got a bit dangerous.  I was afraid that someone was going to "clothesline" themselves.  The rope was stretched taut and was quite difficult to see so I remedied that by tying shopping bags at three foot intervals.  I now have a beautifully decorated yard...yeah, right.  Anyway, I had no idea that these bags would soon become handy hiding places for froggies. 

  While I was petting a Bronze Frog (yes, actually petting the sweet thing), Son and Son-in-law were discussing deep subjects.  To be honest, I have no idea what they were discussing as my attention was on the frogs and not them.  Only when Son called to me did I venture from the pond.  He pointed to the bags.  Several American Green Tree Frogs had taken up residence in the slings made by the hanging bags.  Cute!! The tiny frogs had found hammocks!  Ok, at this point, those two guys got a bit tickled at their mom being excited over frogs.

  This whole froggy diversion has made me ponder on just what will capture my attention when we move to the east side of the house.   Other than painting the siding, our work on the north side is just about complete.  On the east side, there sits the greenhouse and grape arbors! Fun things are bound to be lurking there!  I do know of two Mourning Dove nests and one Wren nest that could be of interest.  Oh, the things I find!

My Froggy Friends!

  The raking of oak leaves continued today with another twenty or so wheelbarrows full hauled down to use as mulch in the lower part of the property.  As I wheeled down the hill, I had to pass the little Frog Pond. With each pass, I would notice pair of new frogs on the lily pads.  Unlike the bullfrogs, these little ones did not dive into the water when I would venture too close.  That made me curious.  Just how close could I get to the frogs?  Well, pretty close was my answer.  Not once did the frogs dive for cover.  Why they never even moved at all!  So I decided that these must be friendly frogs and would speak to them as I wheeled past.  As I was raking, I kept a wary eye out for any bug that looked like a suitable meal for a frog and soon I was tossing all sorts of critters into the water.  It was amusing to see the frogs scramble for an easy meal.  (Yes, I am easily amused and...yes, I do speak with the critters of the Bayou!)

  The frogs in question are Bronze Frogs. (If you ask me, The Bronze Frog would make a good name for some funky restaurant, a crazy rock group or perhaps a trendy art gallery!)  As frogs go, Bronze Frogs are smallish and only get to be about five inches in length.  They sometimes have a bit of green on the face and the males could have that distinctive frog trait of a yellow throat.  The Bronze Frog is also known as the Green Frog (just don't confuse them with the Green Tree Frogs!) merely because of the coloration and a lot of that color variation is due to where they are found.  Some that are in the deep swamps are nigh on black while others in less murky areas are brighter green.  The bronze coloring is just a mix of things.  They are all the same type of frog!  I am glad that I have the bronze colored ones just because they add a bit of interest to the Frog Pond.  The bullfrogs seem to have accepted that these newcomers need a home and are giving them space for the moment.  I am afraid that given enough time, the larger bullfrogs will devour my little bronze friends.  Those big jokers will eat anything that moves!  The tiny tadpoles are fair game so it is a good thing that all frogs lay tons of eggs.  Still, if the bullfrogs show out to be big meanies, they will be carted off to the back creek and the Frog Pond will remain as a safe haven for those who play nicely together.  

  With my befriending the Prothonotary Warbler yesterday and the Bronze Frogs today, folks are going to start pondering my sanity.  I say that we can never have too many friends and if most of mine are of the critter sort, I am good with that.  If folks think I am batty....so be it....the critters don't seem to mind one iota!