THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

20 February 2014

MAD FROGS


Yesterday I got the rare school holiday opportunity to take the dogs for a decent walk....alone. I had become aware that, since THAT sunny day, frogs had been spawning everywhere and that this might be the opportunity to revisit certain prime sites, including one where I found an exhausted female, basking in the sunshine this time last year. I took many stunning close-ups, all of which I lost in some kind of computer-to-camera-file-loss disaster. Off I set to the remote site, forty minutes walk away into the boggy wilderness. Signs were good on the way.....


..........and as I approached, tiptoeing across the squelching moss, I saw the water in question seething and bubbling with amphibious action. The female was curled around a stone in a spawny soup with multiple males clinging on for dear life, vying for her attention.








I walked home in the drizzle to find a large natural pond in a neighbour's scrub full of frogs and newts floating around relaxing, including the one in the first picture. I had clearly missed the main event here. 


Some other pictures from this week so far.....

Early morning clouds over Kestor Rocks:


Strange misty clouds creeping over the hills towards me:




With spectacular ones following:



Sunny rocks:




Today's misty drizzle:




I've changed Trigger's routine a bit thanks to the slightly longer days, which is working better for me. When I take him down to see his Madam friends, I'm now doing it late afternoon so that he stays overnight and I collect him in the morning rather than the other way round. 

"What the hell is she doing to me?"


I'm going for an MRI scan of my spine in a couple of weeks in Exeter as the pain is not getting any better and my GP wants to get a fuller picture of what's going on. I haven't had an MRI since the day of the accident when I had two as the surgeon wanted to be absolutely sure of what was facing him before he went in armed with much titanium. Bit nervous to be honest but I think it's highly likely I will just be referred to the pain clinic. The only positive about the pain is that it is a constant deterrent to getting back on a horse! Enough of that. I've been so busy with OB this half term, I've been missing catching up with others' blogs. So, until next time, here are Mr Speedy and Captain Slow enjoying the dry-ish weather. Have a great weekend if I don't manage to post before then and a belated welcome to the four new followers since the 100 milestone.


59 comments:

  1. I stumbled across your blog by accident and am enjoying your 'ramblings' and the lovely photos.

    Cheers
    Sue

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    1. Lovely to have you here Sue - thanks for following.

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  2. Love the froggy pics! I miss the sound of the frogs here...it'll be a while until we get a nursery in our ponds,so it's lovely to visit and get my nature fix.
    Jane x

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    1. They must have a pretty small reproductive window with all your snow Jane. Last year they did it this early and most of it perished in arctic March temperatures.

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  3. Those frogs are a determined bunch, instinct is quite demanding isn't it .
    Sorry to hear about the pain continuing , I didn't realize you had a horse related injury Em.
    We've had a young thoroughbred that was once a track racer here at the farm for a short time I had been contemplating working with him until he showed me a thing or two and I realized I am not the young trainer/rider I use to be and have decided to play it safe with this one and not ride him ( my bruised ego I can deal with better than my sore neck).
    I wish you well with the MRI hopefully they can help you.

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    1. Very sensible! I know I'm over careful now after what happened but I see people riding out without a hat sometimes and absolutely NO ONE wears a body protector; not even the kids. Mad as frogs.

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  4. Frog on frog action - you could make money out of that.

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  5. The pictures of the frogs are amazing. I wouldn't be able to take any, if my dogs caught me looking at something they would all run over to have a nose themselves. My pictures would contain parts of dogs as they get in the way of the lens!

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    1. They were inquisitive to start with so I chucked a stick well away and they fought over it while I took the pics!

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  6. Not a frog person but the photos are great.
    Love Jake as king of the Hill.
    The last photos is perfect ! what Gud Dugs !
    Hope yore tests go well and you find some answers.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Jack is like a very tiny mountain goat.

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    2. hahahahahah tiny mountain goat !
      and I meant Jack.

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  7. I hope that you get some answers to your back pain issues, and that it is good news when it comes. I am so glad that I am not a frog, I don't think that I could cope with all those shenanigans that they have to go through!! Far too soggy and exhausting for my liking. Take care of yourself. xx

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  8. So lovely to see all the blue sky. Frogs spawning already!
    Apparently we had an earthquake today. Not that I noticed. Felt on Dartmoor though apparently?

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  9. Oh goodness! You've reminded me. At the moment we have only the occasional croak of a frog, afternoon and evening, but the time is rapidly approaching when the whole buzzing chorus will be serenading us to sleep. We live on a creek and fortunately our windows keep out the worst of the noise. It lasts from March to August. Your Jack looks so much like my 'Rip' of many years ago -- the same soft ears and the same curly tail.

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  10. Oh my, Em......what a lovely walk that was♥️
    Hope you get some answers about your back....
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  11. Hello Em! To start, thanks for the 'kudo' on my snow photos--Todd was a lot of fun in the snow. But I have to say that I'm envious of your frog photos and the other great photos that show spring looks to have arrived in your corner of the world!

    And I hope the MRI gets you those needed answers!! --Congrats on your new followers, I lost TWO this week, must've been something I said! ;-)!

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    1. Fancy making the effort to un-follow someone. Bizarre. I can't imagine why Kim - you're not exactly controversial....are you????

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  12. Gosh - who'd be a female frog eh? It's a wonder they don't drown her! We have a lot of - erm - "action" - in our ponds too - dozens of frogs out there, especially in the wildlife pond, but they are VERY camera shy and the least sound or shadow of a person and they are all gone, out of sight.

    Lovely cloudscapes, and lovely photos, as always. I hope you get some help over your back pain . . .

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    1. Those ones were in some kind of reproductive trance I think BB!

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  13. Amazing photos as ever. That poor female frog! As BB says, it`s a wonder she didn`t drown with that gang giving her all that er...attention!

    Jack looks happy as a mountain goat on his rocks.

    Wishing you all the best for the MRI. Spring days make me long to get back on horse, but my neck tells me otherwise. I do hope the consultant can offer some help, but not help that means more pain to begin with.

    Fantastic skies - you have been sending them on to us. One of the few bonuses of this wet, stormy winter!

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    1. Ditto regarding the longing. If it wasn't for the pain, I might have been tempted to get back on some plodder or other, but it's just not a good idea.

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  14. My God! Who'd be a female frog? They put even the politicians to shame....

    I love the shot of Jack high up on the rocks and the one of the dog's tails through the long grasses.

    Sending you lots of positive thoughts for your MRI. Ever-present pain is such a wearing thing. I will be doing a regular healing circle with a friend from this March - just a simple once a week sit down for half an hour, chance to be peaceful and think calming helpful thoughts to send out. With your permission I will add your back to my list (but absolutely fine if you'd rather not- I know it's not everyone's cup of tea). x

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    1. Feel free CT - anything is worth a try! Thank you. It builds through the day as you hold everything tense....I do TRY to breath but I'm not great at it!

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  15. Hi Em ALL the frog shots are great and I love your fearless dog on top of that rock. Your dogs have a wonderful life out on the Moors. Havea great weekend

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    1. Seeing how happy they are out there makes all the inevitable annoying stuff worth it. It would be cruel NOT to have dogs here.

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  16. Great shots of the spawning frogs - none in our pond yet although they usually appear in March. I hope all goes well with the MRI scan.

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    1. I fear for that spawn RR. One hard frost and it turns into spotted ice sculpture.

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  17. Love the cloud formations rolling across Dartmoor and the amazing pictures of the frogs. Good Luck with your MRI scan. Sarah x

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  18. I've heard frogs the last several days down by our creek (which has been quite full). Might change with some colder weather coming back next week.

    LOVE the shot of Trigger!

    I hate to hear about your back. I hope the MRI has positive news for you. I think I'm headed to the pain management bit also. Hurt my back pretty good last week. Spasms, electric shocks everywhere. Go to the back doctor a week from Monday.

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    1. That sounds like very similar pain Gail. Fingers crossed for you too.

      Glad you like that Trigger one. Not a great photo but it made me laugh.

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  19. What extraordinary frog pictures! I must get down to the bottom of the valley and see what is happening to our local population. I sympathise about the MRI scan. Have had to have quite a few since I was ill (and so far so wonderfully good) and they are necessary but no fun. Hope it goes well.

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    1. It's just a bit claustrophobic in there isn't it? I'll look forward to seeing your population if you find it!

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  20. I hope the MRI gives some answers Em; it's the 'not knowing' I found hardest to live with. I sympathise with you living with constant pain - it's so wearing, I found I was ready for bed by 8pm..... and thought I was soft in the head! Knowing what's causing the problem has enabled me to go a bit easier on myself.... at least most of the time! :-(_

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    1. So many bloggers seem to be plagued with pain - perhaps that's something to do with why we do it?

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  21. Wonderful photos of the frogs - still none here even though I created a mini pond for them! Lovely photos of the moor, too. It sounds like the clouds looked a bit eerie as they crept towards you - fascinating, though.
    Hope everything goes well with the MRI.

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    1. Thanks Wendy. When we sank a tupperware bowl into the ground, we got newts and all sorts in it, so keep going....they will come!

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  22. The sunny rocks picture reminds me of a lot of lizards all together and frozen in stone. Love the clouds too, how beautiful. Sorry the back pain is not any better but good that you're having an MRI. Great to see the frogs.

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    1. Going back and looking at the sunny rocks I see what you mean - what a great description!

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  23. Wow Spring must be on the way soon with all that activity! Good luck with the MRI next week, ah guessing the accident was horse related? You have my sympathies, been there and not fun. Hope they can improve things for you.

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    1. Trigger related. It's been a long haul and I'll never ride again, but I'm alive and walking which I could very easily not have been.

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  24. Em, those spawning frog photographs are incredible. Our ponds have nothing yet.
    Sorry to hear about your back pain - it never goes away does it.

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    1. I fear not Pat. The annoying thing is, it was massively better until a few months ago when the feeling came back around the bone graft vertebra. Three steps forward, eight steps back!

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  25. These photos are fantastic! Best of luck on getting your back sorted out. I deal with minor back pain, but nothing a monthly trip to the spine straightener can't work out, so I can only imagine... All the best -

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    1. I think we should name a condition 'bloggers' back' with so many of us suffering!

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  26. Wow! I love those loved up frogs. Amazing photos. Good luck with the MRI hope everything goes well. Let me know also whether you wish your fella was more like Mr Darcy over on me blog x

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  27. Super shots of the misty moors Em and the strange cloud.
    Frog spawn already!

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    1. Lots and lots of it. It WILL perish, I have no doubt!

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  28. These photos are wonderful. You can feel the immensity of the landscape, space, isolation and scale. And well, as for all that graphic amphibian sex and amplexus............ The subject of fine Japanese potters. So glad spring has sprung in your neck of the woods! Lots of winter still here. Thanks for sharing. :) Best wishes Em.

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    1. Lovely to hear from you Mark. Multi-amplexus!

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