Uh, is there a way to notify all frogs that sneaking into the skimmer isn't such a great idea?? I noticed that there weren't many frogs coming to the surface this week of warm weather. When I don't see more than just one pair of beady eyes breaking the water's surface, I tend to get a little suspicious that there was a party going on in the skimmer again--and that party got a little out of hand. I had to do a skimmer check yesterday to be sure.
Seems like one crazy frog snuck into the pond skimmer this fall and that never ends good. Even though we close it off, I had one frog pally who thought he would outwit us and sneak back in for a good winter's sleep. Yeah.....no. The water freezes in there, pallies. Frozen water = death for froggies. And death for froggies = one icky job for me come spring.
Yeah, I was the lucky winner of the "Who died in the skimmer?" contest yesterday and because some people went to work (Joe), other people stayed home (me), I had to fish a carcass out of the skimmer. Ick. Ewwww. Ack. Double ack. Gag.
Frog count is officially at 3--one dead, tongue-sticking-out-of-his-mouth, smelly frog and two happy-to-have-spent-the-winter-in-the-deep-water-and-now-I-live-to-see-another-spring frogs enjoying the warm air.
I think I'm still missing two if I remember correctly. I'm hoping I don't find any more treasures lurking in that green murky water. Or maybe I'll just wait until Joe is home to check further.
27 comments:
Leaving the rest to Joe would be my idea of a perfect plan...lol I don't know how you made it through cleaning out that skimmer....ewwwwwww
Oh yuck! Dead frog stink is one of the worst!
Who wants to be me?
Reminds me of the Kenny Rogers/Dottie West "I Feel Sorry For Anyone Who Isn't Me Tonight."
No. It's all part of the pond maintenance; your pond. Go ahead and be you.
Froggy: RIP
Poor froggie. I hope you find the others in a better state. It amazes me that they live through the winter like that.
Uh . . . I'll let you be you. Even if my car is coated with mud (damp or dry depending on conditions).
hmn...who said frogs were all that smart though? That does make for a gross spring time job-bleh!
Can you tell if one is a boy frog and the other is a girl frog cause then of course you can count on little baby frogs and you can have a self-replenishing frog pond...
RIP skimmer froggy :(
Ann--It was worse with the Great Frog Disaster '08 when there were 5 dead ones in there. Ick. Cleaning it out takes a lot of walking away and gagging. A lot. of. gagging.
Melodie--Yeah, and it isn't very pretty to look at either. The only difference between a hibernating frog and a dead one is the tongue comes out. And it is loooooong. Ick.
Vanilla--This is not part of maintenance. This is totally about frogs who don't understand the memo of NOT going into the closed off skimmer to hibernate. I can't figure out how they got in there.
DG--Well, if you don't listen to the mama, you get what you deserve. Except that it backfires on the mamma and she's gotta clean your stinky butt up. Sigh.
Chuck--Now I did let Joe handle the dead opossum that got stuck in our garbage can one hot summer. See? I'm all about sharing the joys.
Nancy--I can't figure out how he got in there. I've got to work that out so we don't face this again next spring. Eck.
Grace--The only way I know to identify them is that the boys croak (verbally) to call the girls. And I don't want breeding--you have to scoop out their eggs or you have a real mess from what I understand. They can hang out here, but no sexcapades, please!!
Stephanie--Yeah- and let that be a lesson to the rest of ya!!! (Do you think they hear me??)
Poor Kermie...
ya know Lin..it isn't easy being green...
Lin...I only have one word for you... "EWWWW"! (is that a word??)
It's easy Lin- Just post a sign in multiple languages. You just have to figure out which ones froggies read.
That's one part of pond maintenance that I would not like at all! Yuck! But at least two frogs survived the winter - yay!
Awww, I'm sorry about your froggie friend.
At least he will make good fertilizer for your hydrangeas.
Ugh. I am SO not into the Circle of Life. Poor froggie. Poor you for having to deal with poor froggie.
i can't figure out why io have no frogs in my ponds. they are man made so maybe that has something to do with it. but still, they have been here for ten years. however, my pool skimmer is another story. i HATE having to clean it because you never know what you are going to find in there. and it is worse during fall when it fills with leaves and several times a day we just stick our hand in to pull out leaves and find all sorts of small drowned critters. ewwwww!!!!
Awww the poor dumb froggy. And a double ack, ewwww, yuck for you. Hope that is your last frog carcass for the year.
I guess this is an example of survival of the fittest; the dum-dum frogs get culled, er, skimmed. Poor froggie.
Harriet--Or brown and gushy. :)
Catherine--Yep, that's a word. So is 'ick', 'ack', and 'blech'. And add a big giant gag to the end of each.
Sharky--I blocked off the skimmer--do you think they'd head the warning??? Nope. Maybe they can't read.
Beaded Tail--I don't count this as maintenance. Cleaning the filter, adding bacteria, scooping out leaves, etc.--that is okay. Dredging dead carcasses just shouldn't be part of it.
Pricilla--He had a "Hefty" funeral like the fish. The ground is too frozen to get him deep enough. And I couldn't get rid of it fast enough!
Janiss--Well, I think he just hibernated and went into eternal slumber, so he probably didn't feel a thing. Me--well, that's a different story.
Jaz--I rarely get a 'wild' frog in there, I actually to the garden store and buy 3 tadpoles a year. They end up hopping away to find mates or 'disappear' for various reasons. It has been a rare year that I have a full pond and don't add a tadpole or two. I figure it is my job to release frogs back into the world. I had someone tell me years ago--frogs have tiny brains and long legs, which is not a good combination. :)
Vixen--I hope so too. I was discouraged to see a raccoon around the other day. That can lead to half-eaten froggies in the yard. Ugh.
Daisy--Yeah, I guess they aren't very smart. Hobbes was smart though. That was the one time he wouldn't "help" me with the pond. I think he knew it wasn't going to be pretty.
I LOVE spring. Stupid question. Well, two I guess. Let the laughing commence. What is a pond skimmer? And are the frogs wild, or do you put them in the pond.
And if you say I'm not the worst/best cusser there in bloggy land, that just means that I have to try harder.
Oh yes, did you used to be part of Entrecard?
Mee2--Those aren't stupid questions!! A skimmer is a little holding tank with the filter pump inside. It draws the water in to recirculate it back to the pond/pool. Debris is then sucked into this tank and it helps keep the water clear. Swimming Pools have these as well. It is bad for the frogs because they like to go in there (it is dark and protected), but it freezes solid because it is shallow. They die when frozen solid, so we block the skimmer come fall. The frogs sometimes come naturally, but mostly we replenish with 2-3 tadpoles each year. Females hop away when they are 2 years old to find males for breeding, so they take off after awhile. Add in predators (cats, raccoons) and your numbers go up and down all the time. Yes, I did belong to EC, but quit on 3/1--very glad I did. And don't change your cussing--I like it just the way it is. You have a fine balance. :) Edgy, but not offensive.
Eeeeekkk!!!..... Thats so gross... So brave of you Lin. I should bestow you a new name... " Brave Linook of The North"! :D
Oh...that's abummer!
As soon as I saw the picture I knew it was obviously bad news for at least one frog. Hopefully the rest are a little smarter, and a lot more alive.
Just in case....wait for Joe!
Vanilla7--I LOVE that name! I will remember the 'brave' part when I'm cleaning the pond, afraid of what I may find. You'll find me saying over and over "I am brave. I am brave. I am.....brave. I am.....eek!"
Hot Rocks--Yeah, a stinky bummer.
Ratty--Do you like my expertise with PS?? Yeah, I'm a real master!! ;) It was sad to find, though. First I was sad, then grossed out.
Violet--Yeah, no kidding. I would think jobs like that are good for Joe.
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