Frogs in the Backyard

I was heading out the back door to lock the chickens up for the night. It was already dark. 

Just as I was about to take a step off the step I noticed something on the doormat. Sitting there quite calmly was a brown frog. He sat still while I went to get my camera, waited kindly until I had taken some photos, and in a flash, quicker than a blink, he was gone. He was so quick, I did not see him go, only heard the rustle of a sound as he jumped into the plants. 

Little Aussie brown garden frog come for an evening visit

Frogs in the garden

I always like to see frogs in my garden because I know that the garden is healthy when this happens. The absence of frogs is one of the first signs to let us know when the land is sick. 

Froggy Restaurant

Many years ago when we lived in another house we had frogs climb up on the windows in the evening. The bottom of the windows were about 120cm (4 feet) off the ground. When the lights were on in the evening, the insects were attracted to it. The frog thought this was a free for all and enjoyed climbing up the windows and having their fill.  

When we were in China we were served a plate piled high with small mountain frogs. Not for me thank you!

The Crafty Frog

I was given this lovely frog that has had mosaics lovingly applied to it. He doesn't get outside much though. I'm afraid he might hop away.

China frog with beautiful mosaics on his back

Frogs in Literature

Frogs have featured in literature for hundreds of years. We have the famous story of The Frog Prince by Brothers Grimm and the Chinese story of The Frog in the Well. Aesop, who was a great Greek teller of fables from long ago told of The Scorpion and the Frog. The Wind in the Willows is another famous English story by Kenneth Grahame that has become famous with Toad and other characters living at Toad Hall. A toad is a variety of frog. 

In the Australian aboriginal history, the Dreamtime story of Tiddalick The Frog is an important and famous story.

Frogs are also remembered in music

A Frog went Walking

A frog went walking on a summers day

A hum, a hum

A frog went walking on a summers day

He met Miss Mousey on the way

A hum, a hum, a hum, a hum, a hum.  etc

See if you can find some frogs today.