Who let the frogs out?

Well, my toads only croak when it's raining or it's going to. DH and the boys cleaned out the pond on Sunday, and even got the waterfall working again. I'm hoping to hear some croaking tomorrow night. I might hear a frog once in a while inside the greenhouse, but usually don't unless I somehow disturb them in their dens. I do fish a lot of them out of the pool right after the rains.
Frogsrus, I really loved your link to the thread where you shared your tadpoles developing into frogs. Was way cool! ^_^
Hope that all of our frogs and toads croak like crazy in the next few days! LOL!
Walk or Hop in Beauty!
SW

Went out this morning and got this picture of my pond. Yes I did hear some croaking, so I guess they can tell rain is on the way! ^_^
Enjoy!
WIB,
SW

If I had toads, they'd be croaking, rain here! Love that pond SW.

Please send that rain my way!!! I was digging to put in a new plant and accidentally dug up a hibernating frog. Thankfully he/she was just a little confused. I quickly put him/her back.

I just mailed your rain to you! You can have it Marie! No postage necessary!

Thank you!!!!!!!!

We've got rain, croaking frogs and toads, wet cats, and dogs. We just lost our power too. I was in the shower at the time. Lots of fun there! It just came back on! Yippee! Kids going through withdrawal already from the internet.
DH and I built the pond. He brought me those big rocks from here on the farm. Here is a slightly different view showing the waterfall, and I hope the bench rock we sit on. That is where I sit and sing to my turtles. ^_^
Hope you get some rain soon, Marie, I know you need it too!
Squish in Beauty!
SW

You have rocks on your farm? I am so jealous! It is a nice pond, too. Our power didn't go out, but the satellite signal did for a while. Our frog is quiet tonight. Go figure.

KC,
Our farm is mostly DG. You want some rocks? I got bunches. Dad used to make them out of concrete and paint. He said they actually had to buy them! GASP!
DH wouldn't mind loosing some rocks, they get in his way when he plows.
I wanted to use the native rock to make the pond appear more natural. I still have to eradicate the devil grass, and may have lost my curly leaf willow to that honeysuckle on the fence, but it does fit in well. I'll have a bunch more weeding to do around the pond, but am pretty happy with it right now.
DH says the frogs don't croak while it is raining, but will resume when it stops. I hope to get some good photos of their egg strings. So neat to watch them grow! ^_^
WIB,
SW

Ooooh, what a thought. Yes, we had to buy our rocks, too, some of them quite big. Luckily, we have a neighbor in construction who had a source for the big ones and moved them for us, but it was a big expense and we can't do that again.

Love your pond SW . I am thinking I need one too. Il ove rocks too. Just ask Louise :o)

Yup, I'll vouch! I love rocks too!
SW, your pond is wonderful.

It was the start of my little oasis in the desert. It is supposed to be a place of relaxation, meditation and just for enjoying the day. My next door neighbor almost ruined it for me when he decided to shoot off his starting pistol for his horses. I almost jumped into the pond it scared me so! The pond is very murky right now, and I either need to get a heron scare or to put the bird net over it. Only put feeder fish in there, but I'm fond of them.
On one of Dad's threads, he gives step by step instructions on how to make your own rocks. (Dad's DG name is Trois). I'd provide a hyperlink but I am pooped out! Someday you'll come visit me and you can take home a rock or three, I collect rocks from all over and bring them home. The only ones I don't give away are the ones that are artifacts. They have to stay here.
Got up way too early to take the feral Mama cat to the vet to get her spayed this morn. Going to try to get in a nap. DH and I will be in O'side this coming week. ^_^
Maybe, we can get together or something one day for lunch. Laptop is coming with me!
Last night the frogs and toads were singing their love songs, but not until the rain diminished. Love that sound! ^_^
WIB!
SW

Here's the link to your dad's thread---it's very popular on the Concrete & Hypertufa forum, and I tagged it shortly after I joined DG in '06.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/439175/

Thank SW and imapigeon.
I'll be in touch SW. Take care of yourself and relax, this is the perfect weather for just relaxing.

Thanks Ima, you always seem to have everything so well organized. Dad and my step-mom had a lot of fun making those fake rocks and paths. I thought they were real and was aghast that they had to buy rocks when I have so many.
We also have an old "Silica" mine. In the 1880's this area was searched for gold bearing quartz. This mine on our property was found to have gold bearing quartz. Too costly to extract, and I wouldn't let them rip up my hill anyway. Besides, it was mined for centuries before the 49'ers showed up by the local Indians for their arrow heads. Up by the Sentinel rock we've found trace of their knapping work area. Sentinel rock is the highest point on the farm, and has a built in seat. On a clear day you can see Mt. Baldy, the San Gorgonio Mtn.s, Mt. San Jacinto, and Mt. Palomar. We can sometimes see the Santa Ana Mt. Range, too. Sending a photo of the Sentinel Rock, where the NAI used to keep watch over the valleys.
WIB,
SW

Weegy,
Our post crossed, but like I said earlier, I got a lot of rocks! The vet just called and I can't take a nap, because I have to go pick up the cat from the vet. Must have been a slow day because they got her spayed earlier than expected.
WIB,
SW

When you get back make sure you relax.

Wow, sounds like you have an amazing property SW!

I heard a couple brief frog croaks yesterday, but nothing since. We've had rain here on and off, which is much needed :-).

Lovely outcropping!
You reminded me of a story....
My dad's dad had made many Native American friends (Plains tribes) when he worked the railroads as a youngster. He settled in Northeastern Colorado. When I was a kid, his den was lined with glass cases he'd made that were full of his best arrowheads; he had the finest collection in several states. He died when I was 8, so I didn't get many opportunities to go arrowhead-hunting with him, but there was one memorable trip. He had permission to go on local ranchers' property whenever he wanted, so we went through several barbed-wire gates (properly closed behind us, of course) and across a bunch of cattle guards. He stopped the "Whoopee" (his 1930-something red truck), and I slid/jumped/fell out the door. I bent down and picked up a piece that looked like it had been knapped, and said "Is this one, Granddaddy?" He took it from me, turned an odd color of red, and said "No, honey, that's a hefted scraper, and I've been looking for one of these all my life!" Being the delightful child I was, I didn't even offer to give it to him...LOL! I still have it, too.

You little stinker, imapigeon...I would have kept it, too! I had an uncle who was a prospector and I always wanted to go with him to the desert and bring back a horned toad!

SW, if you get a chance, come see me while you're in O'side. We're just 8 miles (SoCal counted) from the 5 freeway.

LOL, SoCal really counted!?! ^_^
Weegy, I am so done for the day, except of course a few house chores.
I'd love to take you up on your offer to visit KC! Hope to find wcgypsy at the O'side Farmers Market too!
I also want to go visit the Quail Botanical Gardens. I've only been there once, and there were so many people there for the orchid show, I didn't have a chance to "feast my eyes" on anything other than the orchids.
sunnyG, I am blessed in so many ways. DH's family homesteaded this property about 100 years ago. For the most part, they kept it in pretty good shape. Except the parts they dumped their trash. We've been cleaning up trash for years and years. Still have some left too.
I rec'd a call from a friend who is a member of the Historical Society that I'd like to be a more active part of. I've been collecting stories of the history of this area for years. We've had the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians Cultural Committee out and they told me that our farm is of "Historical and Cultural Significance" to their people. I know several tribal council members, and elders and they know that we are determined to protect this farm from development. They know me quite well.
I loved your story imapigeon. I had to laugh. Once DH was preparing a site for a load of bees on a Ranch, and found a mano (hand held grinding stone). He didn't even get out of the truck to pick it up, just opened the door and grabbed it. I'm glad that you kept the scaper, imapigeon. I've found one, and yes it is quite an exciting event! More importantly it is a touchstone for you of a very Memorable time that you spent with your Grandfather. Priceless! ^_^
Which reminded me of my Dad's arrowhead collection. His was quite impressive I guess. I never got to see it because, in a fit of anger, Dad's sister, pitched it down the well. When I asked YB#2 why they didn't go down the well and fetch them out, he declared, "Too many rattlesnakes!" I guess the rattlesnakes are the guardians now, of Dad's arrowhead collection.
We love to look for arrowheads here, and have found a bunch of really neat stuff. Most of which you can't move. LOL! Way too big. The best time to look is after it rains when the sun comes out. The attached photo is of our farm from close to the old Indian village site (which is on neighbors property, rats! They bulldozed it!).
Yep, I'm truly blessed to live in such a wonderful place, and we don't mind visitors. After all, we are only caretakers for future generations.
Walk In Beauty!
SW

Well, SW, I'll miss you at O'side....I'm at the Bonsall Farmers Market (at the school in Bonsall). I'll have to go take a look at the one in O'side once I'm settled enough into doing the one in Bonsall.

Rats, for some reason I thought you did the Thursday night Market at O'side. I'll just have to go visit you in Bonsall and say Hi to our mutual friend as well!
WIB,
SW

Found dead toad in my pool today. I really hate that. : (
If not raining hard tonight, expecting to hear a chorus. ^_^
WIB,
SW

In Hawaii we had to leave a plank or two in the pool so the bufos could get out....perhaps you could leave a plank leading to the bank or side......

We do leave things for them to climb out on. We do the same for the bees in the pond too. The water level in the pool was down, because everyone except for me forgets that even in winter, the water precipitates out of the pool. Since I was sort of occupied with my Mom this week, I forgot to delegate to someone else. My bad. : (
Good advice though, and remember if it is enclosed you need to maintain the water level.
Have a storm cell moving through right now so I can't hear anyone croaking. Did you see the footage of the waterspouts?
Are JasperDale and Jungleman still there? Or did they get flooded out? Heard their areas were getting way too much run off. Hope they are High and Dry!
WIB,
SW

In between the rain squalls last night, I heard the frogs and toads singing their love songs. They stopped just as soon as the next one came in. Any one else?
WIB,
SW

Aaaaah how nice! Oddly enough, I haven't heard a single croak since Feb 5th. We've had a lot of rain, but have had some breaks as well, and I've been expecting to hear something. They haven't been here even a year yet (we introduced them from a friend's seasonal pond, raising most of them from tadpoles), so I don't really know what is "normal" behavior for them yet.

My froggies have been having a mating frenzy the last few days--usually I just hear them in the evenings, but this morning when I got up to let my dog out they were still singing to each other!

sunny--what kind of frogs are yours? The ones here that sing all night are California Tree Frogs.

Ecrane, I think I have Pacific Tree Frogs, due to the dark stripe through their eyes. I don't know if you remember, but your kind "hot tub frog" offer last year was one of the determining factors in my great frog quest. :-)

Hmmm....I'm really starting to wonder why I'm not hearing any action out at the pond. Tis the season, isn't it. I know at least one did survive, since I heard croaks earlier this month.

Ours just doesn't stop and I'm getting tired of him - he's right outside our bedroom window. He makes the weirdest noises and sometimes wakes me in the middle of the night. We hear the answering calls from the pond, but those are far enough away not to be a problem. I finally got a full night of sleep last night, but it's one of the few I've had for a couple of weeks. :-(

Now I remember the California vs Pacific frog discussion! It could be the Pacific tree frogs have different mating habits than the California ones. Or there might not be as many of them, it's when you get the huge numbers of them that you really hear them.

I have one outside my bedroom too--I was hoping he would find his way down to the wetland where all his friends are, but so far he's still hanging out by the house (I guess it's my fault for putting in a little patio pond right outside my bedroom door...I should be glad there's only one of him!)

LOL! I'm going to have to go frog and toad hunting! Take photos, so my informed amphibian DG friends can tell me what they are. Mine are singing but only at night when there isn't actually any rain falling. I should make a trip over to where I know the Big Bullfrogs mate and see if I can find any sign of them. I like the rain, but will be glad for a couple of days without it. I'm getting cabin fever. I want to go on a photo safari!
Still some light showers here. Should be sunny tomorrow!
Will post photos when I get them!
WIB,
SW

The closest one to me isn't in any of my 3 ponds, it's in my neighbor's poorly-draining back yard...LOL!

LOL Ima...uh oh.

Kaper, they really do make some odd noises LOL. I'm sorry you've got one keeping you up at night though. Ecrane, sounds like you've got a party going on outside too. I hope you both are able to get some sleep! I live in a townhouse with only a tiny "yard," so everything is pretty much right under my bedroom window. Yikes...we shall see what happens this year. Luckily the neighbors who are directly connected to my house love the frogs.. Whew! They are originally from the Philippines, and say it reminds them of home.

SW, I'm looking forward to your pics! I must admit I became a bit obsessed with my little frogs last year, took 100's of photos of them, and each tadpole was named before being released (mostly thanks to some equally obsessed Dgers, not totally my fault, I swear).

Ecrane, I think you are right about slightly different mating seasons. I just talked to my friend, and she didn't hear the frogs croaking at the pond where I "adopted" my little ones from, so I think mine might just be on schedule after all.

We love hearing the frogs - in the pond down the hill! LOL Weird is the word for some of the sounds this guy makes. Sounds like a chain saw at times. I have ear plugs, but I don't think it will get that bad.

SIs, if one frog keeps you awake, this is not the time of year for you to visit up here. They are so loud right now that if you walk outside your head vibrates.....and it isn't even Spring yet, that's when they really get going. They even kept it up through a few freezing nights. ^_^

I'm beginning to wonder if this guy isn't a freak. They usually make regular "ribbet" noises and sometimes sound like birds chirping. That's how the ones in the pond sound. This guy burps and croaks and buzzes. I'm a light sleeper - thank goodness, because DH would sleep through (and has) an earthquake and/or the sheriff evacuating us for fire.

I really didn't mean to whine about it so much - it's just weird and so different from the usual pattern. Oh, don't tell me, it's global warming! bleccch!

We have one in the enclosed pool at the clubhouse. He makes the same noises. Sounds like he has a sore throat. Have you floated away yet?