Nature Sounds

We have frogs. Technically we have frogs and toads (contrary to popular children's literature they are not friends). We have two White's Dumpy Tree Frogs named Swamper and Spiderfrog and two Fire Belly Toads named Big Mac and Toejam (leading to a funny exchange when The Boss asked Auntie L and the cousins "Do you want to see my toejam?"). Normally, the three other amphibians reside in Sparky and Drama Boy's room but, for the health and safety of all concerned, have been relocated to my bathroom counter. All these guys eat crickets. We've had some interesting times when the crickets have gotten loose and invaded all parts of the house. I hate to squish something's source of nutrition but when I see a noisy, annoying insect in the house it's going to meet the bottom of my shoe. Anyway, I now have swampy "ambience" in my room day and night. The frogs and toads don't say anything but the cricket-chirping is constant. The frogs must have one hiding under the soaking bowl because they are pretty good about gobbling down their dinner but I still hear a stray morsel in there somewhere. Mac is on a hunger strike or something. The crickets line up in a row on the rim of his ceramic pond and sing away. I now refer to the lot of them as "Big Mac and the Crickets" and tell them they should take their show on the road. I wish they would. They're keeping me up at night.