A Frog Whispering Kind Of Morning

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And I’ve the pictures to prove it – the frog whispering that is.

This handsome amphibian and I gave each other a shock on Sunday morning. I was tidying up the overgrowth of self-sown columbines and lady’s mantle outside the kitchen door. And there he was under a columbine leaf.  We both froze, until I thought to grab my camera. By then he was on the move, but froze again as the Lumix closed in. Being Sunday I was finding it hard to focus, and thinking he was about to flee, I started talking to him very quietly. And darn me, if he didn’t sit right up and listen:

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I don’t know how well  frog-human relations have been documented beyond that seminal work of the Brothers Grimm, but I can report there was no clinch, and thus no princely transformation. And it being an unfocused Sunday morning, as I said, I soon ran out of things to talk about and so returned to garden work, while he hopped off to his drain pipe in the wall. A brief encounter then. We will probably never meet again. But at least I have the photos. I can dream…

copyright 2016 Tish Farrell

 

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53 thoughts on “A Frog Whispering Kind Of Morning”

  2. Wonderful Tish!
    And I think he is hanging out still – lurking in the foliage – because he obviously likes your voice and energy – like your readers do via blog (croak)
    🐸🐸🐸

  5. My contribution to human-frog relationship is drawn from an anecdote or rather prohibitions we had as children. It was not forbidden to kill a frog and the consequences we were informed would be dire. To this end, I can only say my people’s relationship with frogs was a live and let live kind of policy

  13. “The seminal works of the brothers Grimm”! I love it, and the continuation of the reference. He’s a handsome enough prince as is. A thoroughly enjoyable post.

  16. I do believe these amphibians have a firm aversion to being spoken to in French, especially if it involves any sort of wooing or the term .cuisses de grenouilles.

    You can guess why I’m sure?

  17. Googled your rather excellent Sunday photo.
    For general edification.
    .
    Common Frog
    The common frog (Rana temporaria). Often seen from March to October their lifespan is approx 6 years. The male is approx 70mm long while the female is slightly larger. Although called the common frog their existence is diminishing due to the use of chemicals and their natural habitats being destroyed.
    Once found in abundance in rural areas these frogs are now seeking refuge in urban gardens. Here though they are faced with a whole new set of problems such as cats and feasting on slugs that have been poisoned with pellets.

    So this was a fortunate encounter and one to be treasured!

      1. I try to maintain a live and let live attitude toward all things that creep crawl fly or run these days. We have a few fruit trees in the garden that we neither cover or spray ( too risky of anything toxic getting into the pond).
        Consequently, we don’t get to eat much fruit, but the birds have a field day when the plums, figs and peaches begin to ripen. And we get to see loads of birds, some of which also like bugs; so I like to think everything balances out in the end.

  26. Pingback: Morning on the Mountain – Get Lost

    1. Hopefully not! English frogs are usually gentle creatures – unless they start learning to fight back of course. They do seem to be reduced in numbers these days.

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