We waited quietly along the shore of the pond, then I saw it. Can you? You might have to click on the picture once or twice to see, but there it is. A frog. Silent and still in the shallow rim of the pond. Waiting. It was one of many Tom and I saw as we took a walk on a warm and sunny afternoon in the Little Red Schoolhouse Woods.
When Tom asked if I’d like a walk on one of the rare days it didn’t rain, I said yes. A gal working on getting her bounce back can always use a walk in a 100 acre woods, can she not?
The paths were muddy through the White Oak Trail, but the Trillium, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and May apple were abundant on the forest floor and worth the trudge just to see them.
We swatted away at the filaments of spiders’ webs that seemed to be everywhere we walked, and a banded water snake slithered in front of Tom. Penelope Pitstop saw it, and didn’t panic, saving the Antler Man’s, or maybe the snake’s, life. A gals gotta do what a gals gotta do, I always say.
Ponds are always full of life and fascinate me. Even in winter, there is activity teeming just under the surface. Spring, ah, springtime finds ponds full of drama, especially in this neck of the woods, and it was so on this walk about.
Several children were watching the schools of fish along the pond’s edge and folks out for a bit of sunshine and fresh air passed by. I noticed something in the center of a patch of lily pads. Still and camouflaged, it must have been standing there the whole tim. We never saw it swoop in. We watched as it perched upon a twig. It looked rather squat and small – until it’s neck slowly telescoped out and it quickly dipped into the murky water for a snack. Finally, this green heron swooped up and across the pond to a branch, sharing it with a turtle, which you can see to the right and down with a click or two on the picture.
We walked along the pond’s edge and wondered what else we could find.
Do click on the picture above. There are at least three frogs here. A regular Froggy Convention.
Isn’t it amazing what flourishes right under our noses?
Magical!!
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Thank you!
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Hello Penny,
So glad your bounce is back! What a therapeutic walk you had among all the new life in the woods. The frogs are certainly abundant it seems. Liked the heron too.
One of the cranes that live at the end of our slough came up off the bank last week into the yard and had quite a walk-about. It was at least 3 ft. tall. It got bored and strolled back toward the water but was such fun to watch the long steps it took as it looked around. There are at least 2 cranes, a white and blue, that have lived here as long as we have.
We also had a visit from a possum…argh. Not so fond of them but as far as we know they don’t bother the cats.
Have a pleasant week.
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Thank you, Marilyn. It was a very good walk, indeed.
How exciting that must have been to have a crane taking a walk-about in your yard. To see one that close must have been quite a thrill – and to have these two residing nearby! Wow! Cranes are so beautiful. So majestic.
We had possums at our other house. None here that I’ve seen. I always knew when they were around by the musky smell they have.
You too, Marilyn. Thanks.
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Glad you’ve got your sparkle back. I love peering into ponds and rockpools. Great photos and words!
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Thank you, Nicola. Not quite a bounce, but a definite spring in my step. Feels good.
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Neat == the convention picture reminded me of those puzzles in old kids’ magazines ( “Can You Find three frogs?”). PIctures are great, the walk on the one nice day was perfect , reminds me of Oregon — it was so much easier to handle the rain after I retired because I could get out when the getting was good!
In the Everglades last week, we kept hearing Pig Frogs (that’s really what they were called and what they sounded like) but we never saw them.
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Ha! I remember those in magazines like “Highlights for Children”. I haven’t thought of those in quite some time, Sallie.
I’ve not heard of, or heard, Pig Frogs. They sound interesting. I imagine they do this during their mating season. You have me curious.
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Just sent Phil jumping six feet in the air after I squeaked at your green heron sighting! I find these birds the most beautiful, exotic creatures. Beautiful pictures, Penny!
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I almost squeaked myself when I saw it, Kate. Something inside me kept me quiet, pointing to it for Tom to see, and whispering. They are exotic and it was such a gift to see it there. Thank you.
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What a lovely walk you had for some much needed pond, tree, and wildlife therapy. Your words and photos are lovely.
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It was good therapy, Janet, and the pond was such a gathering place for nature, as you know ponds are. Thank you.
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I enjoyed clicking and discovering, with you, what is not so obvious to the eye. How beautifully camouflaged the frogs are. Your post carries a sense of delicate awakening. I hope the same is happening for you Penny, in the place where the bounce disappeared.
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Thank you, Juliet. Frogs are well camouflaged, making it all-the-more wonderful when we notice them. It is, Juliet. Thank you. I’m not quite bouncing, but definitely skipping.
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Fantastic photos Penny and I really enjoyed the tale of your afternoon with Tom spent at the Little Red School House – though the part about the snake made me cringe! Now I’ll make my way through all the posts I’ve missed the last several weeks – but will do my best not to comment and flood your email with comment notification! It will be good to see what you’ve been up to these days!
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The snake made me cringe too, Janet, fortunately after I saw it slithering past. You were busy last night catching up. Thank you for all the comments. It’s good to hear from you. We always see amazing things at the Little Red Schoolhouse Woods.
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That was just great about walking in the 100 acre woods. I did need to enlarge the photos…those little froggies do camouflage, don’t they! What a wonderful adventure. What a wonderful day to clear your head a little bit and just revel in nature’s bounty! Nothing better 🙂 I so enjoyed exploring and discovering with you and Tom! Debra
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Thank you, Debra. They are well camouflaged, aren’t they? What a wonder it is to see them – and use our computes to blow them up. I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed our little walk, too.
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You’ve as much talent with the camera as with the pen. Loved seeing the heron. Thanks.
Long-legged wading birds are one of the things I’ve missed since returning to Indiana from Charleston. They were nearly an everyday occurrence in SC and I’ve only had an occasional sighting of a Great Blue here; no egrets or ibis or the like in Indiana. 😦
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You are so sweet to say to, Karen. Thank you.
How wonderful that must have been to see the egrets and ibis and such. I’m sure you miss that. Most of the heron we see here are migrating. Stopping at the sloughs for a bit of rest and nourishment. I do have a friend, however, who has to keep her substantial pond covered as heron have swooped in to feed on their pond fish.
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I love this combination of pictures and writing, Penny. Ponds are such interesting places. I love to wander around their edges, but you won’t ever find me in the water. 🙂
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Nor I, Andra. Especially if there are snakes about.
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Dear Penny, . . . your posting today brought back memories of my dad singing “A Froggie would a wooing go” when I was a child. I checked on YouTube and found many renditions, but the one closest to what Dad sang to me is the following:
Peace.
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Thank you for the YouTube link, Dee. We sang the same song, only said Frog Went a Courtin’, and it will be playing over and over in my head. That is a nice memory for you. I liked the illustrations depicted here as well. Uh-hum.
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What a wonderful walk, Penny. Thank you so much for the lovely photos – the very essence of spring.
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I had so much fun taking and then sharing them Perpetua. Thank you.
Raining, again, here today. April is usually the month for rain here. Someone forgot to tell April.
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