I have become fascinated with frogs. They are interesting creatures, to say the least. Since we installed our goldfish pond a few years back, frogs have paid us visits. Some have come via the tadpoles I bought and introduced to the pond while others just show up. Where they came from, I have no clue, but my neighbor Kenny Hoy said a snapping turtle showed up one day in his driveway, miles away from any water, so I guess reptiles and amphibians know how to “get around.â€
Last fall, before the weather went south, we had two tiny frogs and 2 bull frogs in our pond. When the water temperature dropped down into the 30s, the frogs disappeared. I have come to learn that these cold-blooded creatures just sink to the bottom when it’s that cold. They stop breathing, but they don’t die. They just chill out till it warms again.
Well, last week when it hit 80 degrees on our front porch thermometer, three of our frogs came to life – the biggest bullfrog and the two little ones. I guess the middle-size bull frog just decided to sleep in. Two days later, when the temperature dropped again, so did the frogs. Ker-plunk, they went. Back to the bottom of the pond.
I should name one “Punxsutawney†Frog. Maybe he would predict how many days before spring.