I was walking by the patio at the back of our house and a stray stone (and something else) caught my eye. When I looked more closely, it became clear that a frog was looking back at me. It was the essence of stillness, as motionless as that rock. The frog didn’t move as I took photos, and was still in the same spot when I left.
I was really struck by how the intense energy inside that frog was so restrained; this creature was the embodiment of calmness. It watched ants run by on the concrete, it watched me watching it. Was there a lesson – that I, too, could be as serene?
I needed, of course, to know more about this amphibian. It appears to be a Pickerel Frog. It’s fortunate that I was only interested in capturing it on my phone – Pickerel Frogs can emit a toxic secretion that’s capable of killing other frogs. Hmm…maybe that’s why it was so calm..? In addition, these frogs are sensitive to water quality, so I hope that our refusal to use chemical treatments on our land has helped create a healthy environment for all amphibians here.
