Pollywogs

[H2O Man]

Entering Onondaga

The old man
must have stopped our car
two dozen times to climb out
and gather into his hands
the small toads blinded
by our lights and leaping
live drops of rain

The rain was falling
a mist about his white hair
and I kept saying
you can't save them all,
accept it, get back in
we've got places to go

But, leathery hands full
of wet brown life,
knee deep in the summer
roadside grass,
he just smiled and said
"they have places to go to
too"
- Joseph Bruchac

I try to get out for walks as often as possible, now that the weather is nice. Today, my daughter Chloe and her best friend Saige walked with me. We walked on a path that was, two centuries ago, part of a turnpike upon which settlers moved west of the Fort Stanwix Treaty Line, after the Revolutionary War. Long before that, the trail had been an Indian pathway, which led from here to Seneca Lake.

On one part of the trail, in some old ruts, both frogs and toads have laid their eggs. It is a swampy region, but the weather has been hot and dry, and several of the ruts had dried out. In one, there were about a dozen pollywogs, a few dead, the rest losing strength. Without my saying anything, both Chloe and Saige began the process of moving the living ones to the nearby water in the swamp. Most of the pollywogs were able to swim away.

Watching them, I was reminded of the poem “Entering Onondaga,” by Joseph Bruchac. I recited it, as closely as I could, and told them stories about how Chief Waterman was always concerned about toads and frogs, mice and minnows. I said that Paul would be pleased that they took the time to save those pollywogs. They were laughing about the clay that was beginning to dry on them, making them appear light blue from ankle to knee.

We walked across a site where Indian people had lived, seasonally, for thousands of years. Saige found a Vestal notched spear point; Chloe found a Lamoka javelin point, and a Madison arrowhead; I found two perfect Genesee spear points. (I'll post a few photos later.)

It's strange to get back inside, and watch/read news about the oil “spill.” The amount of environmental devastation is hard to comprehend. I know that we can't possibly go back in time, but I do believe that in order to move into a better future, people are going to have to take a pathway that is more in tune with two teenagers taking time to save pollywogs.

Peace,
H2O Man

[Me.]

1. Nice, Very Nice

And so on point. K & R

[H2O Man]

25. Thank you.

It's been interesting, watching the news with the two of them, over the past few days. Like their teachers and classmates, they are outraged by the on-going crisis. They go back-and-forth, between the tv and computer, attempting to come up with possible solutions.

A few DU Friends have suggested this crisis could lead to some good, in that sense. Having so many young people putting their minds together is, in my opinion, our best hope.

[Cerridwen]

2. Kick and recommend.

Your way of getting people to think is much nicer than my way. :D

Thank you for continuing to post your words of wisdom wrapped in entertaining stories.

[H2O Man]

26. Thank you.

Funny place, sometimes, this DU. A couple days ago, another old-timer here was telling me that I am a parasite on society. I suppose we are all entitled to our own opinions. I certainly appreciate yours.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Waterman.:thumbsup:

[H2O Man]

4. photos ....

[Beringia]

5. That's great

I do believe we are supposed to be the caretakers, and not so caught up in our egos. I used to save lots of mostly bullfrogs that got into drainage bins near an apartment complex when I lived in Wisconsin and take them to the local pond. The little helping things can lead to bigger ways of helping, or spiritual development. I am going through very supernatural trials right now, and learning to develop parts of my mind to protect myself. I think these ways of a strong mind were much more common in the old (not so old), Native days. I recollect your essays on use of the strong mind to help too. I think you must be good at that.

Not to ramble too much. But I had a dream recently that there will be Catholics with their black frocks and Native Americans with their native ways into the future. That humans will be diverse. Sometimes I get into that homogeneous view of the future and the dream was telling me that was not so.

[H2O Man]

13. I agree.

Human beings must move towards the state of mutual respect, as the basis for Oneness, rather than everyone being exact. For if we were all the exact same, humanity would degenerate and become extinct in no time at all. And we have far too little time as it is.

When I was a teen, I was the care-taker on an estate where the owner imported giant bullfrogs from France. They were enormous, and would wrap themselves around my calves when I was working in the lake.

[bleever]

6. Scenes from a backyard.

I grew up catching frogs, snakes, turtles, salamanders, and crayfish. These guys are newly graduated tadpoles, before they left the tank I raised them in:





Last week I was in the vegetable garden at the back of the yard, and saw one little guy hopping by. It was the highlight of my month.

[H2O Man]

11. Beautiful!

I love them.

We have some nice pollywogs that started sprouting their hind legs last fall, and are getting front legs now. It's fun to float around in the boat out on the pond this week, as the green frogs are out in full force!

Thank you for taking an active interest and caring for these beings.

[KoKo]

7. I hope that time will come...

Peace and Regards.....my old DU friend.....in advocacy..

:hug:

[countingbluecars]

8. K&R n/t

[lunatica]

9. One year a long time ago our neighborhood was infested with small frogs

The grass literally seethed and moved with the small frogs that had climbed out of a water runoff canal behind our house. My husband, now ex husband, took out the power lawn mower to cut the grass as if nothing were there. I stopped him and got some empty coffee can and gave them to the boys and the three of us picked up as many frogs as we could. There were probably hundreds.

Because I believe in the life cycle of nature I took them back to the canal and I also gave them to a neighbor across the street where they hadn't invaded yet because he had some large frogs in his garden to keep the pests down. He said he would set the little frogs free so they would be eaten by the big frogs and a few might grow large themselves.

My ex is a total jerk.

[H2O Man]

10. When things are normal,

frogs and toads in the northeast follow a certain pattern in their "calling & mating." The sounds are among the most fascinating in all of the natural world. The cycle goes as follows: Peepers, followed by Wood Frogs; then, the American Toad, then the Pickeral and Leopard frogs; then the Cricket Frog and Fowler's Toads; soon, the Grey Tree Frog, Green Frog, and then the Bullfrog. (In a smaller area, the Mink Frog follows the Bullfrog.)

In recent years, there have been fewer and fewer frogs and toads, and even among those, that cycle has been impacted. I am sure human activity -- from pollution to the reduction in wetlands -- plays a roll. Add to that those people who do not respect these beautiful and valuable members of Earth.

Thanks to everyone who respects and helps them!

[Forkboy]

12. Enthusiastic K&R!

:thumbsup:

[scarletwoman]

14. I love the blue clay drying on the girls' legs - downright Pictish! I'm a snake rescuer, myself.

Some years ago, I lived for awhile in a rural area of south central Wisconsin. Mostly farmland criss-crossed by numerous rivers and creeks, with bits of woodland and open meadowlands here and there.

There was a two mile long section of a narrow black asphalt back road that ran by the house where I lived. I used to walk to the end and back as a sort of daily constitutional. In the late summer there were scores of snakes -- garter snakes, pine snakes, corn snakes, rat snakes, bull snakes -- who would crawl onto the warm asphalt during the day and lay there sunning themselves.

Problem was, as the day cooled off, they'd basically just lay there in a torpor and get run over. So I made it a daily mission to walk the road as the sun was going down and pick up the drowsy snakes and move them back into grasses alongside the road.

Don't know if they particularly appreciated it -- being snakes, they're not terribly prone to expressions of gratitude -- but it did seem that my efforts definitely cut down on the number of road-killed snakes I'd see each following day.

My most memorable experience was this one little bullsnake. Unlike all the others I had been gently picking up by hand and carefully setting down away from the road, this little guy suddenly coiled up and went into attack mode -- mouth open, hissing loudly, vibrating his tail madly in hopes of fooling me into thinking he was a big, bad rattlesnake.

I stood back and studied him for a long time -- just in case he maybe was a rattler -- not completely out of the question, since this area was close to being within the range of the timber rattlesnake. But there were clearly no actual rattles on his tail, he was just a terrific mimic. Still, I opted for using a long branch to gingerly lever under him instead of my usual method of picking him up by hand. I didn't want him to feel that his fearsome display was being disrespected. :)

In any case, I didn't particularly want to get to bit, even by his harmless tiny fangs. I moved him off the road, though, and he continued his coiling and rearing and pretend tail rattling in the tall grass on the verge the whole time. I told him he was a fine, fierce creature and wished him a long life, and then I continued my walk.

sw

[bleever]

24. This reads like a treatment for a major motion picture.

At least, a great scene in one.

:thumbsup:

[scarletwoman]

32. Okay, I'd like Gwyneth Paltrow to play me.

With Viggo Mortensen in the role of my dark, brooding love interest...

:D
sw

[H2O Man]

29. I like this ....

especially the part about "not being prone to expressing gratitude." I'm borrowing (stealing?) it to accurately describe snapping turtles, elsewhere on this thread.

The clay is wonderful. You nailed it.

[scarletwoman]

33. I consider any phrase borrowing/stealing done by you an honor.

Thank you for this lovely thread, honoring life.

[Bozita]

15. Well done. Thank you. ... K&R

[scarletwoman]

16. kick

[spanone]

17. k&r....amen

[BeFree]

18. Why do turtles cross a road?

Because they are trying to get somewhere without swimming?
The grass is greener? Who knows?

Traveled to the store today thru an area of lakes and swamps, on a road just a few years old. Two turtles were fortunate that their journeys intersected mine. I halt in the middle of the road, twice stopping traffic, set the flashers on and get out, waving at the humans. One was a big turtle covered in algae, the other no bigger than a fist and clean as a whistle.

I wonder, as I get back in the truck, what the other humans are thinking as they watch this hold up of their progress for a mere turtle. I hope they see that it is safe and wise to save turtles from certain death. But I see far too many turtles for which I was too late on arrival, and wonder if anyone else even gives a shit.

Even if I knew the world was going to end tomorrow, I would stop and lift a turtle to safety today.

[scarletwoman]

19. Another reptile rescuer! It breaks my heart to see a road-killed turtle (tortoise, actually).

I've stopped and carried them off the road myself. Every one of them is precious, they are under such heavy assault -- between loss of habitat and chemicals messing with the food chain.

Thank you for doing what you can to help.

As for why they cross the road -- it's not that they actually want to, it's just that we've gone and built roads that cross theirs. We are the ones crossing the tortoises' roads -- their ancient pathways from the water to the places where they lay their eggs.

sw

[BeFree]

21. We are the newcomers

I've moved hundreds of the crawlers over the years. It bums me to see one run over.

One person asked me why, and I said, I may have to eat one one day, so I save them whenever I can. It made sense to him in his small mind. But I do it because it is the right thing to do.

Wish I could see as many snakes as you do.

Cheers, sw.

[scarletwoman]

23. Love your answer - "I may have to eat one one day" - brilliant!

I killed and ate a rattlesnake once, when I lived in the Santa Cruz mountains in CA almost 40 years ago. I figure I owe them.

Peace, BeFree.

[H2O Man]

28. At this time of year,

we see lots of turtles crossing roads, to get to the sites where they will lay their eggs. The roads just get in their way.

We always stop and help them across. I even carry what is needed for assisting good-sized snapping turtles, as they are not always prone to expressing gratitude.

Two weeks ago, there was a dead turtle on the road near our driveway. My younger daughter questioned why anyone would hit a turtle, as they do not jump out into the road like deer.

[BeFree]

30. I feel most sorry for the youngsters

Like this oil pollution problem. The youngsters must be asking: "Why?"

Why would they allow something like this to happen? They knew it could, they knew what would happen when it did. They have money enough to afford keeping this from happening, why did they allow it to happen?

In simpler terms: why did they run over that turtle? Do they even care?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. Sounds lovely...

I think everyone should make a point of taking a walk or even just sitting outdoors to appreciate whatever nature offers them...wherever they might be.

[csziggy]

22. Oh my - a few months ago I would not have known where you are!

Now, thanks to the family histories that I am editing for my mother and father, I know where Lake Onondaga is.

I'll PM you.

[madokie]

27. I just hope we haven't already crossed the line

[WillyT]

31. Most Excellent, H2O Man !!! - K & R !!!

:applause:

:kick:

:hi:

[ClayZ]

34. Thank you for this beautiful Poem!

I even escort houseflys out of the house and worms across the sidewalk.

[proReality]

35. K&R n/t

[txwhitedove]

36. K&R. Beautiful. I love DU exactly because of posts like yours.

Thank you.

[RagAss]

37. Great Post....and it reminds me that all sentient beings are one Being.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

38. I'm a toad saver, myself

well, I'll save any little creature I can. I even swerve to miss the wooly bear caterpillars in the fall (hmm, there were none last fall. ?? ) Every spring I make an announcement at our weekly group meeting to be careful driving on warm rainy evenings.

I had a pet toad and his girlfriend, Toadsies and Bigfatsmalltoad for 7 years. Toadsies especially was a real comedian, and I'd get him out of his Toad-Home and carry him to pill-bug conventions. I'd hold him in my hand near the wall they were all over and he'd pick 'em off. Bigfatsmalltoad used to put up with him hopping on her back and squeezing her around the neck. They were hilarious. When I would walk toward the aquarium carrying earthworms, they would come up to the glass. Toadsies would stand on his back legs and put his little hands on the glass.

When Toadsies developed a tumor on his butt, I took him to my vet, who'd never had a toad patient before. But he was experienced with other exotics, so he was willing to try. He gave Toadsies anesthetic and removed the growth. I had to leave him there for his surgery and I was so worried--as I was walking away from his little travelling-toad-home, I heard a chirp! I turned around and there he was against the clear plastic, watching me. He chirped after me!! I got such a lump in my throat!

Afterward, I brought him back home and nursed him through his recovery with special slugs and earthworms (usually I bought crickets at the reptile store. Easier than digging earthworms, and necessary in the winter).

After about a week, I think it was, I brought him back to have his stitches out. He was better than ever and lived another two years. Then got a bunch of tumors on his leg that were too much for him. I brought him in for surgery again, and brought him back home, but he only lived a few more days. I was heartbroken. The vet just couldn't get over Toadsies, and sent me a sympathy card. He really cared that a little old toad was so loved.

Bigfatsmalltoad was clearly sad and lonely after he left, and she died the next year, I think. Maybe several months. That was about 8 or 10 years ago, I think.

Thanks, H20man, I enjoyed the story. I wish we lived in a time where there were fewer of us, so that there could be more animals.

[geckosfeet]

39. I love the Finger Lakes region! Thanks for posting.

[XemaSab]

40. I have rescued tadpoles myself

I approve.