Because it’s Valentine’s Day, I won’t write about the week I’ve had or lost love or about the cold I’ve been fighting. Instead I’ll share a ditty I wrote this week for Laura Shovan’s challenge. Susan Brisson prompted us with frog pictures and a delightful video of her husband and son catching frogs from their pond to take them into the woods, so the little creatures would survive the winter.
When my youngest daughter was two (she’s now 29), we had a small flower bed that always seemed to be its own pond. She could hear a frog croaking in the flower bed and decided to name it Hans. To this day, we don’t know why, but Hans the frog has become our family’s totem. One Christmas my husband made a huge plywood frog wearing a Santa hat, and we put it up every Christmas.
When watching Susan’s son hopping around gathering frogs into a bucket jogged this memory for me.
And here’s a lagniappe poem. Lagniappe is a common term used in Louisiana to mean a little something extra.
Reflections on the Teche 
I love frogs, the color, shape, everything. Sounds like your baby does too. Thanks for the picture and delightful poem
I love that you wrote about Hans, Margaret & that ‘Drip Drop’ acoustic is perfect! Happy Valentine’s Day!
ooooh, I do love your little extra. That photo mesmerizes me.
The story of Hans is great! A giant plywood Hans is even funnier! What a fun family you have. I love ribbit bibbit.
I am in love with the second poem. Thank you for lifting my day, Margaret!
I am a frog aficianado so I adored your poem and your story about Hans. I’m also wowed by the rain poem!
I especially love the rain poem! Quite a lagniappe (I really love that word too, although I’m not quite sure how to pronounce it!)
Pronounced lon yahp.
I can just see your guy catching frogs! They are both growing so fast! We have been stuck in a drizzle for what seems like forever! Just a glimpse of spring would be welcomed.
Margaret, your plywood frog must be quite the sight at holiday time. I saw that beautiful photo of the pond but have not had a chance to write a poem. Thinking about your babies that might say Wibbit, bibbit! Nicely done! I also liked the rain poem and love the photo.
Thank you for the frogs and the lagniappe (and the new-to-me word)!
How fun! I heard an interesting story about frogs just last week. Turns out that for certain frogs who live in areas where water is more scarce, the mama waits for the eggs to hatch, and then transports the little ones herself, on her back, to water that’s nearby. Talk about dedication to the ones you love!
Thanks for that tidbit. Gotta love nature!
I liked both of these Margaret when you posted them– and I enjoyed hearing the frog backstory here. I especially like your lagniappe poem on the rain. And I like that word too, lagniappe–does it have French roots? Hope your cold is moving on.