FOND OF FOUND FROGS

 

For the past several days, a tree frog has taken up residence in the recesses of the handle of my plastic green watering can.  When I first noticed the amphibian holed up in the dark handle, I left the plastic can in place in order to avoid disturbing the new resident, and used my galvanized can instead.  But with the dry weather, I soon found I needed both my cans to keep up with the watering needs of my gardens, so I pulled the frog’s house back into play.  I figured the jostling and splashing the frog received in the watering process would have resulted in the frog jumping ship and finding new quarters, but so far, the frog doesn’t seem to mind my occasional use of its residence, especially if I leave an inch or two of water in the bottom of the can.  It even tolerated my carrying the can into the darker garage where I could shine a spot light on the frog to film a video of my watering can model (see below). 

I suspect that the watering can frog is the same frog who had been hanging out the recycling bin I keep below the watering can, but since most tree frogs look alike to me, I can’t say for sure if it is the same frog.  I have come across what seems like a pretty diverse mix of other frogs and a toad in my gardens today.  Besides the Gray Treefrog in the watering can, I found an American Toad in what I hope will be my fruit tree garden, what I think was a Spring Peeper near the perennial herb garden, and last but not least what might have been a wood frog in the hay garden (or lawn).  Although I can’t say for sure, I would venture to guess that all the watering I have been doing this summer is attracting the moisture loving creatures to my place of residence. 

As my sprinkler continues to spray out a constant stream of water over my gardens, I get lulled, by the repetitive sputtering sound the water makes as it drives the spring-loaded water distributer back and forth, into thinking this endless stream of water will always be there to keep my gardens green and my amphibian friends happy.  Of course, there is a part of me that realizes that despite the lifetime of hypnotisms I have been receiving, that water like so many of the other things I take for granted is in limited supply.  I do my best to only use the amount of water I need – which I verify by putting a rain gauge in each garden as I water to stop the flow when I hit the magic one-inch mark.  I worry however that should more of my neighbors try to convert their lawns to food gardens, that in years to come the Village well that supplies my watering needs, might just go dry.  Especially if the planet continues to heat up, and as my higher ground brown grass reminds me, dry up as well – at least in my neighborhood. 

For the moment, I take comfort in finding frogs and toads hanging out with me, and tolerating my annoying ways.  But as the smokey haze from the Canadian wildfires continues to block out the sun for what I think is going on three weeks, I am not so sure I should get too comfortable with my fellow water loving creatures.  The days of a seemingly endless supply of fresh water, and other creature tolerance – I do believe may be coming to an end.  Where will we all go then when we need some water?