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Conversations with a frog

Was out in the yard and garden tending to the birds (filling their feeders), flowers and veggies (giving them water and a dose of fertilizer) and talking to myself (out loud – don’t tell anyone) and occasionally singing a few snatches of some song.  While on the front walk at my concrete planters, talking to those flowers that are doing well and scolding the blue ones that are not looking so good, I  heard a frog croak in response from the pond.

Yes, Phinneas wanted to chat a bit and thought that perhaps I should stop talking to inanimate objects.  So, I took myself to the rock wall on the back side of the pond about 3 feet from where Phinneas sat hidden in the reeds.  How did I know it was Phinneas?  Well, I hate to admit it, but, I recognized his deep, manly (frogly?) voice.  And the fact that he actively exchanged words with me in our conversation.  I would speak and he loudly croaked in his Leopard Frog dialect.  Then I’d speak, and he’d have more to say.  And he had a lot to say.   Our back-and-forth conversation actually lasted about 10 minutes.  Then, it got too hot where I was sitting and Phinneas had told me all that had been going on pond side, so I went in.

Can’t believe that I actually was called to the pond for a visit by a frog.

Summer by the pond — precious time!

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Happy 4th of July!

Ridgefield’s fireworks were last night.  A beautiful night for them — hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  Went to the high school grounds early, sat and read, ate hot dogs and iced cream, the viewed the fireworks.  I put my camera on a tripod and took some pictures.  Arriving home, I made gin and tonics and we took them out to the deck to star gaze.  What a wonderful evening.

Oooh! Aahhh!
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Phinneas, Jr., one of my BFFs

Phinneas Junior is following in the webbed footsteps of his Dad  —  hanging out pondside on the back ledge.  He has become quite tame and has started talking (albeit quite softly) when I come out to feed the fish and start talking to them.

Love my BFFs (Best Frog Friends) and the macro lens that hubby gave me for my birthday in 2009 — which is responsible for many of the great photos you see here.   No zooming or cropping of this photo — this is just the way this great camera and lens takes the photo.  Of course if Junior weren’t as tame as his Dad, I probably wouldn’t be able to get quite so close.  But he doesn’t seem to mind having a camera shoved in his face at all.

Just call me the “pond paparazzi”.

Phinneas Junior
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Hummy!

Hummy is back.  Actually several hummingbirds are back.  But the one (or ones) that know where I hang the plants and the hummingbird feeder are definitely here.

We had a hummingbird sighting a few weeks ago — saw one flitting around in the yard.  Then, the other day as I was sitting near the sliding door, the hummingbird flew up to the plant hangar right by the door.  He hovered near the empty hangar for a long time, and if I was reading his body language correctly, he was asking where the heck the plant was.  Spring gardening being way behind schedule here, I hadn’t planted the hanging pots.  So, off to the nursery I went on Saturday and  had Hummy’s favorite, “sophie cascade” ivy geraniums, planted before night fall.

Then Monday, I purchased some instant nectar, mixed it up, and filled the feeder.  I was busy yesterday so didn’t look, but today two hummingbirds have been happily feeding at the feeder.  They are so pretty and I am so thrilled to have them back.

Here are the photos:

Hummy arrives at the feeder located below his favorite plant
Wings moving so fast -- even sports mode on my camera cannot capture them
Hummy dives into his favorite food (actually, her favorite in this case)
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Spring Flowers, Fish, and Kitchen

So — work progresses here on the final stages of the big kitchen remodel of 2010/2011.  The tile back splash was put up today and will be grouted tomorrow.  The painter was back doing the outside work on the new bay windows and the new detached garage front that hubby installed a week ago.  And some spring flowers are blooming — irises in the pond, wild daisies next to it.  It was a beautiful, absolutely beautiful day here today.  One could not help rejoicing in the beauty of a perfect spring day.

The day in photos:

tile back splash
the view from my kitchen window -- painter's legs
wild daisy
Lady
Hoover
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Father and Son

Phinneas — who has been here from day 1 of the pond and his first generation son were on a rock on the back side of the pond the other day.  Phinneas is as chatty as always — when I come out to feed the fish in late afternoon and start talking to them, Phinneas starts chatting back at me.

Yes, I admit it, I talk to frogs.   And they talk back.   And it’s one of the happiest times of my day!

Phinneas and son
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Phinneas is Back!!!

The first frog to appear at our pond in 2005 is back.  Yes, Phinneas survived the winter, dug in somewhere in or near the pond.  Hard to believe that anything could survive buried under all that snow.  But he’s back.  Took photos tonight.  Will post them tomorrow.

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Fore!

Yes, it’s golf time.  I played 3 days in a row last week and by Thursday, my feet hurt.  But my game is coming around even though my handicap is going up.   I was part of a foursome that played at the ABC of Ridgefield (A Better Chance of Ridgefield) tournament on Wednesday.  My group placed first in the women’s division and won some money!  And I placed first in the closest to the pin contest on hole # 17 at RGC.  My tee shot was 26 feet away — not really too close, but apparently close enough!

Thursday was such a nice day weather-wise and the Ridgefield Gofl Course was beautiful.  I felt like I was on vacation the entire time we were out there.

Good thing I played a lot last week.  Looks like we have at least 5 days of rain here in a row.  So, not much golfing will occur.

Good news is that perhaps I’ll get some spring cleaning done!

Time for some fish and frog photos from the pond.  I call this one FISH FRENZY.  It’s fishie mating time again and they are all chasing one of the females around the pond apparently right up to the edge.  Some times I’m afraid they’re going to push Lady right out of the water and I’ll come home and find her on one of the rocks!

Fish Frenzy - May 2011
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Happy Easter

Suddenly it’s spring!  At last!!!!!

Hubby fired up the pump on our pond yesterday and is running it again today.  The fish are loving their swimming time below the falling water.  This seems to have awakened our entire back yard and the warm (yes it’s ABOVE 70 degrees today) has caused spring to finally arrive.

  • The PJM azalea is ready to boom
  • The weeping cherry absolutely popped open this morning and is in full bloom
  • Our first frog appeared on a rock near the waterfall
  • The male wren is singing and carrying nest-building materials into the birdhouse
  • The new kitchen windows are open

All signs of spring — let the celebration begin!

Happy Easter !

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Movin’ In

The kitchen is done!  (Well, we won’t talk about a couple of things yet to finish).  But we can definitely clean up the construction dust and start putting the stuff in the cabinets and drawers.  I worked from 2pm til 8pm and am less than half done with the cleaning.  There is dust and dirt in every corner of every cabinet and drawer.  Hubby was restoring the electronics to the media cabinet in the corner of the room.  I can watch TV, movies, or listen to music while I continue the cleaning tomorrow.  In fact, there are so many cables behind that cabinet that I’m pretty sure I can do all three at the same time while I’m cleaning tomorrow.

But, we started the moving in . . . . .

It’s an orange peeler that our friends gave us for Christmas.