If I am able to convince myself that the plastic bags that litter the
road verges, resemble snowdrops, lilies and daffodils, they I should
be perfectly able to persuade myself that the croaking of the frogs
in the pond directly outside the bedroom window, resembles the
melodious sound of the Heuglins Robin !!
People tell me they love the sound of frogs, they say their croaking
is calming and soporific.
Well, I must be one mean old cranky lady cos croaking frogs do
nothing for me except to make me want to scream !!
I try to think of myself as a good, humane, civilised human being. I
pat dogs, I smile and coo at babies and I help little old ladies
across the street, but try as I may the civilised side of me remains
dormant when the frogs start at exactly 6.45 p.m.
I know it is an exercise in futility catching them and tossing over
the garden wall to the next door neighbours yard. (Next door
neighbour fortunately lives in Cape Town you will be glad to know,
and he has a charming pond that is just begging for frog inhabitants.)
Over the years I have undertaken a study of these entertaining little
creatures. They are very similar to elephants in that they are most
respectful of other amphibians who wish to use the pond.
There are usually only two in the pond at one time, with the others
waiting courteously on the sidelines for their turn to swim and to
croak.
In most frog species only the males croak. They croak to attract
female frogs for breeding, and to warn away other male frogs from
their territory. Female frogs think croaking is very sexy I am told !!
Many kinds of frogs puff themselves up enormously with air when they
croak. This amplifies the sounds made by the frog's vocal chords,
kind of like how the stretched membrane of a drum works. This is why
a little critter like a frog can make such loud noises!
Googling "How to kill frogs" is not a healthy exercise as most folk
reply "Why do you want to get rid of those sweet creatures who eat so
many bugs"
My grand total in one night has been eleven frogs. I have it down to
a fine art now. Heehoo just shakes his head and tries to pretend I am
no relation to him whatsoever. The sound of croaking does not bother
him in the least but the cats and dogs love my nocturnal forays.
They are always quite happy to assist me in pin pointing the hapless
toads, and are entranced by my strange inhuman like cavorting antics,
as I teeter on the edge of the pond amongst the strawberry plants,
falling over the reeds and dodging the golden orb spiders in my
unseemly, unladylike and one track minded madness.
Of course Mother Nature always has the last word and has cunningly
afflicted me with some sort of frog throwing "tennis elbow" and is it
possible that my throwing arm is starting slowly to resemble that
frogs leg that HeeHoo once brought home to me after a party at the
French Embassy ?
However I have learned that as predictable as they are, they always
start their chorus at exactly 6.45,and they also stop and go to
sleep (or do what frogs do) at exactly 11 p.m.
So lets turn the telly up louder, stop mumbling incoherently under my
breath, and pray for 11
o'clock !!
BIRTHS:
BURTON: CHRIS AND ASH ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE SAFE ARRIVAL OF
DYLAN MARK, BROTHER FOR TRISTAN ON 11TH JANUARY.
GRANDY AND GRANNY KEDDA WELCOME DYLAN TO THEIR GANG OF GRANDCHILDREN!!
A memorial service will be held for the Late Robert Hepburn Cole at
3.00 p.m. on Friday the 26th January at the Church of Ascension,
Leander Avenue, Hillside.
Our sincerest thoughts and prayers go out to Rozzy Smith on the
passing of her dearest Francis. Drinking at Harry Allen will never be
the same again and we'll all miss his singing and happy nature.
Bollocks to you mate. We'll miss you always. Hope the golf courses in
Heaven are up to standard.
All Our Love
Pete, Noreen, Ant and Sharon
LEADERSHIP - A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and
shows the way.
'Those who stand for nothing
fall for anything.'
- Alexander Hamilton -
Finding good
by John Fischer
'If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for
evil, it will find you!' (Proverbs 11:27)
Why is it that we are often more fascinated by evil than by good? At
least, according to this proverb, it appears that evil is easier to
come by. Look for it and it will find you. It will be everywhere.
Evil does appear to be a hot topic. It shows up in our movies and
films. It dominates our intrigue in apocalyptic material. It
permeates our science fiction. News about calamity is much more
sensational than news about some good service that has been performed
by someone.
In contrast, finding good takes a little work. It's harder to create
and harder to portray. It's as if our default setting is for evil
but good has to be searched out. Yet the fact that it can be found
and enjoyed makes the search worthwhile.
Never doubt that a small committed group can make the world a better
and more tranquil place.
- John Lennon -
Otherwise
I got out of bed on two strong legs.
It might have been otherwise.
I ate cereal, sweet milk, ripe, flawless peach.
It might have been otherwise.
I took the dog uphill to the birch wood.
All morning I did the work I love.
At noon I lay down with my mate.
It might have been otherwise.
We ate dinner together at a table with silver candlesticks.
It might have been otherwise.
I slept in a bed in a room with paintings on the walls,
and planned another day just like this day.
But one day, I know, it will be otherwise.
("Otherwise" by Jane Kenyon from Otherwise: New and Selected
Poems , Graywolf Press)
First they came for the farmers.
Then they came for the opposition.
Then they came for the judges.
Then they came for the journalists.
Then they came for the poor and the vendors.
Now they have come for the miners.
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