I am not a cliché.
Imagine my excitement – I step outside and glance at the pond and right in the middle out in the open AND on a lily-pad sits Cave Frog. I never expected he would stay there while I got camera and tripod and took pictures, but he did! He also managed to look dignified. What a great frog!
stop pointing me out, I’m hunting here!
Eyeballs with his head just peeking out – and his itty bitty adorable fingers holding the edge of the lily pad to stay in place. What’s not to love?
Is this my good side?
Cave Frog has been quite accommodating recently – staying put while I spot him (don’t even need binoculars because he’s so out in the open), get the camera, set up, and snap photos. Glad he’s sticking around and learning how to be a proper frog model.
Yes. Fine. I will smile for the camera. Maybe.
Cave Frog in a plant pot patiently waiting for me to snap his photo. I swear he is smirking at me.
They call me Eyeballs for a reason.
What an exciting day of photo-taking! The frogs were out and stayed out for a while as I moved around with the camera. Amazing. I will be posting from today’s shoot during this week. I loved this capture of Eyeballs in his typical pose of barely peeking above the water. What a cute kid!
It’s hard to sneak up on a frog.
Looking at this, it makes sense that I can’t come up from behind to get photos easily. Those eyes have near 360-degree coverage! This is Cave Frog, and right afterwards he jumped forward, swam under the lilies, and stayed out of sight.
The names of our frogs evolved quickly and unlike the fish who sometimes get renamed these have stuck. Brave Frog was named first, because he was the one who was out the most and who didn’t care when I brought out the camera. He was also the first to move out so I suppose it was even more apt than we first thought. Cave Frog was named next, because of where we could (at that time) most reliably spot him – in a little area where a basalt boulder and the rock walls make a small cave on the side of the pond:
tucked into my little private space
I was able to move around and get a better view before he dove deeper into the cave to hide:
Cave Frog has nosy neighbors.
He still hangs out there sometimes, but he is even less likely to wait for a photo-opportunity before heading underwater now.
I was (am!) a handsome frog.
Another archival picture of Brave Frog, hanging out in the sun on an algae covered rock. Such interesting markings!
dignity.
My mother likes to do 3d graphic arts – usually of dragons in everyday situations. I posted this photo a while back and it’s one of her favorites. It called out to have the professorial looking Cave Frog have some spectacles added – and so I had to share him again. Enjoy!
hanging with my brothers
Yes, another historical photo. Brave Frog is, ironically, hiding under the rock to the left – Cave Frog is the one out in the open. It’s weird – as the remaining frogs (Cave Frog, Eyeballs, and Uptown Frog) get older – they also are getting more and more shy. Often the only evidence they continue to inhabit the pond is a “sploosh” as they dive under water when I open the door to try for a new photo. But I will continue with my archive and intersperse new photos as I can – after all, people tell me they enjoy this!
@KellyOSullivan 