Friday, March 26, 2010

Friday 55 & Da Count-Frog Chorus

FRIDAY 55

Long ago I sat with Nana by the campfire at night
singing in round,
Hear the lively song of the frogs in yonder pond
Crick crick crickety crick
BUUUUURRRR-UM!
Spring peepers joined in chorus as backup.
Decades later I hear their rhythmic lullaby
rising again from the swamp
on an early Spring night
and smile.



DA COUNT

Lots of folks around here get excited when they see the first robin of Spring. While that may be a good sign of warm weather to come I smile most when I drive past the swamp on our winding road and hear the hum of spring peepers. Lots of folks who move out here from the city think it's crickets making all that racket but I set them right. Earlier this week I was on a phone call from a friend in a part of the country not blessed with such a proliferation of singing frogs. I pulled the car over and stuck the phone out the window to share the music. I could almost hear my friend's smile. If you want to hear it too there's an audio file in the link I provided. Just multiply it by thousands to imagine the swamp near my house. Nothing against the robins but the frog choir and the memories of a happy time and place soothe me into blissful slumber.


23 comments:

Commander Zaius said...

I know a similar sound down here. Ain't nothing like a bullfrog croaking in the water.

Hilary said...

Oh, nice. And they're so tiny too. That's a lot of voice for a little critter.

For me, it's when the red-winged blackbirds return with their "Bdleeeeeeeeeek." That's my first audio sign of spring. They've been in full chorus for the past couple of weeks.

Jeni said...

Spring Peepers, for me, are definitely the sign that spring is here! Love to hear that sound fill the valley -or maybe I should say the "gully" along the creek where I live.

furiousBall said...

my mom has a koi pond in her backyard, i'm going to through some frogs in there this summer :)

Mona said...

sounds , even of crickets and frogs, bring a host of memories :)

Great words!

Eaton Bennett aka Berenice Albrecht said...

Sounds and smells, words, all sorts of things trigger memories. I love the ones that bring the excitement of childhood to mind. :))

Bijoux said...

Our metropark has a 'spring peeper crossing' sign that they put up every year. I guess the things migrate and cross the road?

G-Man said...

Ahhh Yesssss...
The children of the swamp!
Excellent 55 Trini.
To me thats when 'Spring' begins as well.
Thanks for playing today, and have a Kick Ass Week-End...G

Jessie said...

i'm not familiar with the "children of the swamp" as G-Man so coined them. but i do enjoy the sounds of crickets or whatever makes the chirping sounds and of course the lighting bugs (aka fireflies).

enjoy the onset of spring,

Craig said...

Sweet. . . When I was growing up, our yard was bordered on two sides by a swamp, and I am familiar with the little spring peepers. Where we live now, the definitive sign of spring is the chorus of birds - cardinals, robins, and what-have-you - singing at sunrise. We also have crickets. But, we're a not-too-rigorous walk from a 'wetland park', where the frogs are abundantly in evidence. . .

S said...

I love that sound! Now you got me wondering....I always thought it was crickets at my house too, now, hmnnn....Lime! How am I going to figure out which it is?
Did you run out there and catch some of them and them listen to their sounds?

Ok no, we are not in the Spring Peeper range...Now I have to know, is it western spring peepers or crickets? I will let you know...

S said...

LOL @ children of the swamp! Gman!

Brian Miller said...

what a beautiful memory in your 55...i am listening...

my 55 is up!

Mojo said...

Sounds like a lovely memory. Must be if you still smile about it. And your description of it certainly sounds like it.

Jocelyn said...

No surprise, but the peepers make me crazy happy, too.

I'm shouting at you at the end of today's post, btw. Sorry for calling you a bitch.

You know I love you.

Mostly.

Lulda Casadaga said...

It's such a soothing sound..I'm sure it would drive some city folk plum crazy! :D

Cricket said...

Of course,I knew that sound was not crickets. ;-)

Reminds me of a beautiful State park I used to walk in almost daily. There was a 3 mile loop that I really came to love. I walked it almost every day for three years, in all but the very worst weather.

I'd recommend that to anyone who had the time and place. You learn things you can't learn any other way.

Anyway, the first hearing of the spring peepers was always a special day.

Kat said...

Haha! My boys liked that audio link. Thank you. :) It is really calming.

secret agent woman said...

I love the night music - frogs, crickets, cicadas. It's beautiful.

Tammie Lee said...

that was awesome that you gave a link to hear the Peeper, then I did not have to wonder what it sounds like. Lovely memory you have here.

Dave said...

Tha was interesting Michelle. I have never heard a from make that sound before. They do sound like crickets. - Dave

Anonymous said...

Frog songs are underrated. I love the sound of spring peepers and remember well another spring sign, catching tadpoles in spring waterholes which are dried up within only a few weeks. Thanks for reminding me.

PattiKen said...

T'aint nuthin' like a frog chorus with cricket back-up! It's music to my ears.

I’m up here.