Of Turtles and Frogs

The season is upon us finally. Ciaran was beginning to feel it was never coming with the crazy weather and my surgery. Today we went to a nearby favorite pond to look for frogs and turtles. As I expected we did not see any frogs but we did see many turtles. We walked along the pond watching them sunning themselves on branches and diving into the water, stopping now and then to watch them or examine some other interesting thing we saw.

We found a spot they seemed to really enjoy about a dozen swimming around. I sat down on the ground and watched the kids watch the turtles for about a half hour. They managed to catch one believe it or not and carefully we examined it and carried it home. They will release it tonight but it is fun for them to care for one for a day or two and they are very careful filling a bucket with pond water and setting things up for the turtle to have a nice mini habitat. They named this turtle FireStripes for the coloring on the inside of the shell. They have been excited observing it and I think they might sketch the turtle later this afternoon.

While I still wish it was about 10 degrees warmer here the sunshine feels glorious so I can't really complain. After rain, clouds and cold weather we will take what we get.

Ciaran is still looking forward to the first frog of summer. We hear them at night and at certain marshes we pass by but he has only caught glimpses of them as they dive into the water. I remind him the season is not upon us yet but will be soon enough and to enjoy the one we have now.

We have been making weekly trips to the local arboretum to see the progress of the flowers and trees. Each year the kids pick out a rose bush to study. We draw sketches and watch their rosebush from winter through fall. It makes the best project because the experts care for it and we get to see the full transition and all the information we want is available to us. We also have our favorite places we go each time we are there. Right now the daffodils are in full bloom, the tulips are coming along and will likely be in full bloom this week. We look forward to the irises which usually bloom around my birthday time. The Magnolias and rhododendrons are in blossom and the other trees are starting to bud. The crab apples still don't have any buds to speak of and it seems as if overnight many trees grew their leaves!

Baseball is still cold. Was wearing my winter coat, mittens and a fleece blanket for last nights game under the lights. We left the field at 9pm and I wondered when it would ever be a warm great ball game night? The kids don't seem to notice though they just run and jump up and down in place to keep warm. Of course if this was the weather in January we would all probably be wearing shorts :)

Trying to spend as much time outdoors as we can especially now while the neighborhood is still quiet and I can enjoy being with just my kids. Soon enough all of school will be out and my kids will be off to play with the neighbors more and more. I am glad they get along with the neighbors but it is also nice when it is just the four of us enjoying our neighborhood parks and paths. As we watch the school buses leave and return from the day I think my kids appreciate more and more that they worked to get their school done in time to have off most of the month of May. Especially on glorious days like today.

Off to spend more time in the yard with the trampoline and bikes. Might even be brave enough to try a small baseball catch with Ciaran. Just a few more weeks until my recovery is complete. Seems it gets harder to wait each day as the mercury rises.

Tenniel

A Boy and a Frog...

Here is a familiar sight for our day today - an image of a Leopard Frog jumping away into water. We took a nature walk today with grandma and Ciaran was quite focused on finding frogs - now I know you are surprised.

Grandma found the first two frogs and pointed them out. Very excited as these were the first frogs seen of the season - until now it has been toads and merely hearing frogs. These frogs leaped away before Ciaran could get anywhere near them. He quickly moved to all the sunny bits of the pond where they might be waiting and sunning themselves. Together they saw about a dozen frogs with nearly as many failed attempts at catching one.

Ciaran looked the part of a little boy on a frog hunt. He was wearing shorts and mud boots. The mud boots were a battle to get him to wear - he wanted to wear sandals - but mom withstood the power struggle anticipating what was to come. Mom was wise. Ciaran was covered in mud and muck all along his boots and legs and his hands where he stuck them in as he attempted to reach the frogs.

Anyone who has ever tried to catch a leopard frog knows it is challenging - they move quick, leap far and are very jumpy and slippery if you manage somehow to be lucky enough to catch one for a moment. It is entertaining and also a little heart breaking to watch Ciaran try to catch the frogs. He is so focused and determined and it is hard frustrating work as he moves through the brush, weeds and muck to follow the frogs. A mother's heart just desperately wants him to catch the frog for a payoff for all his hard work.

Thankfully today we had a brief moment of victory. Ciaran and Rhiannon were along the shore together and found a prime sunning spot - three leopard frogs. They approached each one and it jumped away immediately. The third one Ciaran decided on a different approach - he put himself in the water and the frog had no choice but to jump into the brush. Rhiannon was standing there and moved quickly towards it and the frog leaped towards the water and instead landed on Ciarans chest as his hands quickly went up and around the frog. Success! For a few shining moments he was able to hold the leopard frog - who quickly squirmed out of his hands and back into the safety of the water. But it was the moment he has been waiting for since October when they went into hibernation and the first frog encounter of the season. Whew!

Our nature walk also yielded many other fun things, most especially time with grandma. Sirah found a broad-winged hawk feather and really enjoyed the ducklings. Rhiannon loved finding a sumac tree filled with red admiral butterflies. It really was a beautiful site. I am so thankful for the time spent outside with my kids appreciating and enjoying nature. As I watch them grow in their outdoor skills and love of nature it makes me joy-filled. As Rhiannon correctly identifies a hawk and stands her ground even when I think she is wrong, or Ciaran finds a frog when everyone thinks there is no hope, or Sirah points out a bird she enjoys. Those are special moments that I treasure.

Sure there were some power struggles to get out the door with boots on, some tears from Sirah about walking by herself and definitely a muddy son who needed an immediate shower. But those costs are all worth the reward and the joys we had playing follow the leader, learning grandma's tidbits about different plants and animals, and just discovering nature together. Get out and enjoy God's creation with your children in simple and rewarding ways.

Peace,
Tenniel