Lessons from a Frog

Day 204
The Daily DuBrule

Monday I finally got the chance to clean out a giant glob of green string algae in my water garden. I forked it into the wheelbarrow, unplugged the pump, cleaned the filter, and turned the waterfall back on. I was so surprised to see a frog staring back up at me, hiding behind the rock with my meditating frog on top. HI THERE! I screamed so loud in delight that my husband came running out to see what was the matter. Frogman (which is what we call frog #1 in our pond each year) was back!

For the rest of the day I would visit the pond and talk to my little buddy. I can't tell you how happy it made me. Finally we had a frog. Wait a minute. I bet Frogman's been living here all summer. This is just the first time I'd seen him. This was the first time I took the time to really stop, clean the pond, slow down, and watch. I am on vacation and the sense of urgency in my life is gone for a brief week. I am time rich. Tasks take on a new pace. 

The next day I was weeding all around the pond and kept looking for Frogman. Not there. I would sneak up on the pond thinking he was being shy. Nothing. I weeded the north side and looked under the weeping Japanese maple. No frog. I finally made it around to the south side of the pond, worried that perhaps something had happened to him, when I looked to my right, inches from where I was weeding, and there he was. The coy one. Hanging out on a rock, just being peaceful. 

My first attempt at blogging was called My Frog Blog back in 2010. It talked about how frogs make you slow down, sit and look for them. They could be there and you wouldn't even see them unless you really looked with quiet presence. Frogman 2012 taught me that same lesson again this week.