Verde's Home

All last summer and into the fall, we had a large frog living in and around our little pond by our front door. I named her Verde, which means green. During the winter, we no longer saw her and assumed that she had made her way to the swamp's warmth across the cul-de-sac. A few weeks ago, she reappeared in the pond! She is bigger. And we see her every day.

Verde's reflection in the pond.

Last year, I sent a picture or two of Verde to a frog specialist and was told he thought she was a bullfrog. Her size is about to rule out anything else.

Who would have known that having a pet frog could be so entertaining?

For the Ducks

Week before last, we had over 6 inches of rain --with more the week before that. We have standing water all over. These lovely, white ducks were playing in a puddle in a yard down the road. I have never seen ducks there before ---or since.

I am pretty sure that my neck will not do this.

Mailbox Monday: Carved Palm

AWESOME!!

Garden Report

B has been busy with our vegetable garden this winter and spring and we have been eating on the healthier side. Here is a green sample:

Kale has been plentiful, as have been the collards.

Yellow Squash is on the way.

Potatoes look good.

Swiss Chard has been plentiful.

Beans (and nutgrass) are up.

As are the cucumbers.

The English peas are filling out.

Our-first-ever garlic looks good. Or as B says, "as good as it can."  He is not a garlic fan.

Tomatoes are starting to bloom.

Overall, we have been very pleased.

'Til the Cows Come Home

To and from my school, I drive country roads and through residential areas. I have driven this route for years. Recently, I have noticed that one resident whose home is almost in town has decided that the best way to apply spring fertilizer to their lawn is straight from the cow.

Note the azaleas in the yard.

Mailbox Monday: You've Got to Hand it to Them...

Maple Wings

Love our native maple in the early spring. Each little winged seed drops like a helicopter, spinning and spinning to the ground.

Mailbox Monday: Designed by a Committee

It has a horse head, a dolphin and a manatee.

Okay.

Scandalous

One of my kindergartners came in recently and announced, “My mom is bringing a sex scandal to school!”

I said, “Say that again. She’s bringing a what?”

“A sex scandal!”

Seeing my confusion, she added, “You know! A candle that’s a sex (six)! It’s my birthday today!”

 

 

I want you to all know, I recently had my hearing tested and was told it was “perfect.”

Mailbox Monday: Swan

More Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium has a number of smaller tanks in addition to their main, huge one. Different ecosystems are set up in different areas. The cold water areas were fascinating. These anemones and seastars are from the Pacific Northwest.

Simply gorgeous!

And check out this kung-fu spider crab!

Here is one of the sea otters--the daughter of an otter.

Everyone's favorites: the penguins.

Several Beluga whales were in a large tank. 

But my personal favorites were little sea dragons. I   took several pictures, but they were never still and this one is the best. They can grow up to 18 inches long and live around Australia.

The quote below is from:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/sea-dragon/

As with sea horses, sea dragon males are responsible for childbearing. But instead of a pouch, like sea horses have, male sea dragons have a spongy brood patch on the underside of the tail where females deposit their bright-pink eggs during mating. The eggs are fertilized during the transfer from the female to the male. The males incubate the eggs and carry them to term, releasing miniature sea dragons into the water after about four to six weeks.

God was definitely getting creative on this one!

As I said previously, the Georgia Aquarium is just awesome. If you get the chance--GO!

HUGE Sharks!

Over Spring Break, we took a trip to Atlanta to visit family. While there, the guys fished one day on the Chattahoochee and then the rain started. We went to the Georgia Aquarium one day, where fishing is frowned upon--with or without a license. We had expected it to be cool. It was awesome!

Our favorite part was the tunnel. We liked it so much, we went through twice. The tunnel goes through the bottom of the enormous tank, which is the largest in the world. The fish swim around and over the long tunnel as visitors walk through. Here is a bunch of large rays swimming over us.

There were also a few enormous ones.

There is an amphitheater, with a sixty-foot wall of glass. 

Here is that window with a thirty-foot whale shark swimming by. 

They have four of those big guys!

And huge grouper: five or more feet long and all snuggled up to the glass. 

More about the aquarium in a future post.