Little Storping-in-the-Swuff

The frog doesn’t look too upset by it, but he’s got a huge extra limb… are my frogs mutating a fifth leg?

Looking after the young…

I stepped out to pick a pear to eat with the stilton and port (that’s what autumn is all about) and this chap was sitting on the step. I almost trod on him.

Now I have my Nikon D40, I can more readily record how my frogs are the most handsome in Lewes.

Two of them are bellowing to each other this evening.

For the record, I just saw a fish, so there’s at least one of them alive.

My frisky frogs have brought about the most exciting thing to happen in the pond since the baby fish 18 months ago: two great lumps of spawn (the smaller one is pictured).

The frogs were introduced to the pond as spawn themselves two years ago. Disappointingly there was no spawn last year. Meanwhile, there can be no doubt there are no longer any fish in the pond, and while I will reintroduce fish later this year, I shall be waiting until the tadpoles can leave the pond under their own steam.

Well, we’re having interesting weather, what with our tornado. I’ve noticed it raining. A lot. It rained heavily on Sunday. So heavily, I was reluctant to stray out even for parsley (when it eased off, I dashed across the yard to the herb pot - half way there I found I was ankle deep in puddle…)

I opened the backdoor to find even this chap was seeking shelter:

That’s abroad in the sense of “out and about” not in another country.

Although come to think of it, it was another country.

And it’s not a frog, it’s a toad.

This portrait of a fine looking toad I took when I was in Wales last week. He’s pretty hunky, no?

Not a pleasant post, I fear, but in Little Storping we will not shy away from the truth. It’s a barely recognisable dried out husk, looks a little like a leaf, but it moves. Why? If it ever was a frog, there’s no way there can be any life left in it. Are the dead frogs walking?

No, it’s full of maggots. Just for once, I don’t think we’ll have a picture with this post.

Half time in Germany v. Sweden. Just time to get another picture, so here are my shamrock. It’s lovely and sunny right now, so they’re wide awake, but they like to sleep at night. They seem to absolutely thrive on our chalky soil.

But I think it’s also time to take some action to maintain the frog-flora balance, here on Little Storping…

I know they’ve previously wandered in but I put that down to youthful pranks. Tonight it’s hot, it’s rained a little. They come in again. I spot two of them on the way in, as another one’s heading out…

A couple of them get comfy under a drawer unit, but I’ve no idea how many others jumped in when I wasn’t looking.

Finally, these two leave.

Headed the righ tway.
But how many frogs are round the back of the freezer? Or next to the washing machine? How can I stop them wandering in whenever I’m not looking? Must I keep my door shut all the time? I will not be dictated to by my amphibian friends!