Frog Pond

“Leap frog over the ladybug.

Leap frog over the bee.

... then leap back home to me!” 

― Lauren Thompson

The pond with its new liner in since last summer, is now well established. Frogs are partying down at the ol' pond at night. I creep down at twilight and the cacophony is about 90 decibels, rock concert loud. Western tree frogs are stationed every couple of yards all around. I watch them swim from spot to spot, apparently making the rounds.

In years past, we had to mount tadpole rescues if the pond dried up too soon. This year, with the liner, we'll have more frogs, I'm guessing. It was tadpole rescue that first got me thinking about ponds. We had two little kid pools five feet and three feet across respectively, and the bigger one was leaky. 

So I get the idea to put one inside the other and plant the outer ring with potting soil and flowers. The little one holds water. I make a tadpole hiding place with rocks, and a place to come up in shallow water too. Most tadpoles survived; perhaps these are the ones partying down at the big pond now!

The mini pond was my test pond. Even at the micro size, it has become a real magnet for all sorts of creatures and bugs. It seems to have attracted a sample of all of the pond things in microcosm. 

And no mosquitoes thanks to safe for critter, bad for mosquitoes, 'pond dunks'. And of course, thanks to the frogs!

There is something primal and magical about developing a relationship with your local body of water. The enchantment with water that I experience creating or facilitating these micro environments was a surprise to me. We too, are the kind of creatures who are attracted to water!