"Dad!!"

"Dad!!"

"Com'ere! Quick!"

There was no mistaking the tones. They resonated with that edgy
panic, the type that causes parents' hearts to constrict in fear
and one's Imagination to careen out of control envisioning "the
worst."

I dropped the onions and knife into the sink with the remaining
vegetables and turned at a dead run to the garage door. As I
reached for the brass knob three excited, yet seemingly unbloodied
and unbroken, daughter-units were jostling to get through the
doorway. We all skidded to stops.

"Who's hurt? Where's Miguel? Did you dump something? Why are you
acting like someone got hurt?" I bellowed over their raucous
chorus.

My three magpies stopped their chittering and three jaws clacked
shut; clack, clack, clack.

Daughter-unit Beta looking down and scuffing her toe on the tile
floor of the kitchen, her hands clasped tightly behind her back,
ventured, "We got a frog."

"YEAH! YEAH! We gotta uh uh uh FWROG!" Spawn yelled excitedly.

I closed my eyes and started to count quietly. To calm the racing
pulse that was keeping a beat in my temple. I took a deep breath
and exhaled it slowly. "Good. Go out and see if the other seven
are ready to morph," and I turned away to finish dinner.

"But, Dad? You gotta come see him, first."

I turned back towards Daughter-unit Alpha and saw the other two
bobbing their exaggerated affirmations. I sighed again and dropped
my chin to my chest, "Alright. For just a moment."

This experiment in wildlife observation was turning out better
than I'd hoped. We'd started with a capture of over 40 tadpoles,
two snails, and several dozen other assorted creek-dwelling
inhabitants. I'd even learned a valuable lesson on tadpole-ology;
the suckers are vicious carnivores and voracious cannibals!

The four of us squatted down around the tank that housed the
remaining eight tadpoles we'd liberated from a nearby creek. I
watched as a prime example of Darwinian Progress climbed out of
the water and onto the side of the tank, almost a frog (except the
remaining nub of a tail.) "Wow..." I breathed. "Cool, huh? You
going to call up your uncles and friends about this?"

"Can we??" three faces peered up as I walked back inside.

"'Course," I frowned. "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't serious.
Each decide who calls who and you can start now."

"ALRIGHT! I get..."

We're on our seventh phone call and it would appear that we're
going to have quite a crowd around the Clan Ranger International
Amphibian Aquariums tomorrow. I guess I'd better make an effort to
clean out my Catch-All-Clutter-Containment Center (aka "two-car
garage").

The Ranger
--
"Grits are akin to Elmer's Paste with less flavor and more sand."

The Ranger wrote:
> "Dad!!"
>
> "Dad!!"
>
> "Com'ere! Quick!"
>
Wonderful story snipped. A "must read".
>

Dear The Ranger, What a nice Fourth Of July treat! Thank you. Happy
Holiday to you and yours.

In article >,
"The Ranger" > wrote:

> "ALRIGHT! I get..."
>
> We're on our seventh phone call and it would appear that we're
> going to have quite a crowd around the Clan Ranger International
> Amphibian Aquariums tomorrow. I guess I'd better make an effort to
> clean out my Catch-All-Clutter-Containment Center (aka "two-car
> garage").
>
> The Ranger

Fun fun fun. :-)
Tadpoles are only one down from hatching chicks or ducks from eggs on my
list of favorite miracles...

I've done toads, leopard frogs and one bull frog once.
I had the bullfrog for 2 years. Not sure why she died. :-(
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

The Ranger wrote:
> The four of us squatted down around the tank that housed the
> remaining eight tadpoles we'd liberated from a nearby creek. I
> watched as a prime example of Darwinian Progress climbed out of
> the water and onto the side of the tank, almost a frog (except the
> remaining nub of a tail.) "Wow..." I breathed. "Cool, huh? You
> going to call up your uncles and friends about this?"
>
> The Ranger

Heh. When I lived in Bangkok I got a bunch of slimy goo out of the pond
from our front yard. Much to the maids dismay I confiscated one of her big
steel wash tubs and pile some rocks in the middle and filled it with water
and deposited said goo (frog eggs) into it. After a short while, the eggs
turned into a multitude of tadpoles swimming around. Then the tadpoles
morphed into teeny tiny frogs. They came out of the water, crawling all
over the rocks I'd piled up in the wash tub. They were tiny and very cute!
Most of them didn't survive due to the excessive heat (hey, get back in the
water!) but those that did eventually hopped off (still very tiny!) to live
in the ponds in our front yard. The ponds were naturally fed (klong water)
and had lovely flowering lily pads floating on them. Ahh, memories but no
photos!

Jill

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> "Dad!!"
>
> "Dad!!"
>
> "Com'ere! Quick!"
>
> There was no mistaking the tones. They resonated with that edgy panic, the
> type that causes parents' hearts to constrict in fear and one's
> Imagination to careen out of control envisioning "the worst."
>
> I dropped the onions and knife into the sink with the remaining vegetables
> and turned at a dead run to the garage door. As I reached for the brass
> knob three excited, yet seemingly unbloodied and unbroken, daughter-units
> were jostling to get through the doorway. We all skidded to stops.
>
> "Who's hurt? Where's Miguel? Did you dump something? Why are you acting
> like someone got hurt?" I bellowed over their raucous chorus.
>
> My three magpies stopped their chittering and three jaws clacked shut;
> clack, clack, clack.
>
> Daughter-unit Beta looking down and scuffing her toe on the tile floor of
> the kitchen, her hands clasped tightly behind her back, ventured, "We got
> a frog."
>
> "YEAH! YEAH! We gotta uh uh uh FWROG!" Spawn yelled excitedly.
>
> I closed my eyes and started to count quietly. To calm the racing pulse
> that was keeping a beat in my temple. I took a deep breath and exhaled it
> slowly. "Good. Go out and see if the other seven are ready to morph," and
> I turned away to finish dinner.
>
> "But, Dad? You gotta come see him, first."
>
> I turned back towards Daughter-unit Alpha and saw the other two bobbing
> their exaggerated affirmations. I sighed again and dropped my chin to my
> chest, "Alright. For just a moment."
>
> This experiment in wildlife observation was turning out better than I'd
> hoped. We'd started with a capture of over 40 tadpoles, two snails, and
> several dozen other assorted creek-dwelling inhabitants. I'd even learned
> a valuable lesson on tadpole-ology; the suckers are vicious carnivores and
> voracious cannibals!
>
> The four of us squatted down around the tank that housed the remaining
> eight tadpoles we'd liberated from a nearby creek. I watched as a prime
> example of Darwinian Progress climbed out of the water and onto the side
> of the tank, almost a frog (except the remaining nub of a tail.) "Wow..."
> I breathed. "Cool, huh? You going to call up your uncles and friends about
> this?"
>
> "Can we??" three faces peered up as I walked back inside.
>
> "'Course," I frowned. "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't serious. Each
> decide who calls who and you can start now."
>
> "ALRIGHT! I get..."
>
> We're on our seventh phone call and it would appear that we're going to
> have quite a crowd around the Clan Ranger International Amphibian
> Aquariums tomorrow. I guess I'd better make an effort to clean out my
> Catch-All-Clutter-Containment Center (aka "two-car garage").
>
> The Ranger
> --
> "Grits are akin to Elmer's Paste with less flavor and more sand."

I love hearing about the kids. But this is a food group and now you have to
tell us what else they eat. Besides that first course... And can we eat
them?
Edrena

margaret suran > wrote in message
nk.net...
> The Ranger wrote:
>> "Dad!!"
>>
>> "Dad!!"
>>
>> "Com'ere! Quick!"
>>
> Wonderful story snipped. A "must read".
>>
> Dear The Ranger, What a nice Fourth Of July treat! Thank you.
> Happy Holiday to you and yours.

/bows low to Dame Suran

I live but to serve.

The Ranger

jmcquown > wrote in message
...
> The Ranger wrote:
>> The four of us squatted down around the tank that
>> housed the remaining eight tadpoles we'd liberated
>> from a nearby creek. I watched as a prime example
>> of Darwinian Progress climbed out of the water and
>> onto the side of the tank, almost a frog (except the
>> remaining nub of a tail.) "Wow..." I breathed.
>> "Cool, huh? You going to call up your uncles and
>> friends about this?"
>>
> Jill's Bangkok Production elided

That batch is still prodigiously producing every season. Two of my
neighbors have koi and goldfish ponds (wired to prevent the local
mammalian predators from enjoying fresh sushi) which apparently
has provided perfect nurseries for additional salamanders, frogs,
and toads.

The Ranger

The Joneses > wrote in message
et...
> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Dad!!"
>>
>> "Dad!!"
>>
>> "Com'ere! Quick!"
>>
>> There was no mistaking the tones. They resonated
>> with that edgy panic, the type that causes parents'
>> hearts to constrict in fear and one's Imagination to
>> careen out of control envisioning "the worst."
>>
>> I dropped the onions and knife into the sink with
>> the remaining vegetables and turned at a dead run
>> to the garage door. As I reached for the brass knob
>> three excited, yet seemingly unbloodied and unbroken,
>> daughter-units were jostling to get through the doorway.
>> We all skidded to stops.
>>
>> "Who's hurt? Where's Miguel? Did you dump
>> something? Why are you acting like someone got
>> hurt?" I bellowed over their raucous chorus.
>>
>> My three magpies stopped their chittering and three jaws
>> clacked shut; clack, clack, clack.
>>
>> Daughter-unit Beta looking down and scuffing her toe
>> on the tile floor of the kitchen, her hands clasped tightly
>> behind her back, ventured, "We got a frog."
>>
>> "YEAH! YEAH! We gotta uh uh uh FWROG!" Spawn
>> yelled excitedly.
>>
>> I closed my eyes and started to count quietly. To calm
>> the racing pulse that was keeping a beat in my temple.
>> I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. "Good. Go
>> out and see if the other seven are ready to morph," and I
>> turned away to finish dinner.
>>
>> "But, Dad? You gotta come see him, first."
>>
>> I turned back towards Daughter-unit Alpha and saw
>> the other two bobbing their exaggerated affirmations.
>> I sighed again and dropped my chin to my chest, "Alright. For
>> just a moment."
>>
>> This experiment in wildlife observation was turning out
>> better than I'd hoped. We'd started with a capture of
>> over 40 tadpoles, two snails, and several dozen other
>> assorted creek-dwelling inhabitants. I'd even learned a
>> valuable lesson on tadpole-ology; the suckers are
>> vicious carnivores and voracious cannibals!
>>
>> The four of us squatted down around the tank that
>> housed the remaining eight tadpoles we'd liberated
>> from a nearby creek. I watched as a prime example
>> of Darwinian Progress climbed out of the water and
>> onto the side of the tank, almost a frog (except the
>> remaining nub of a tail.) "Wow..." I breathed. "Cool,
>> huh? You going to call up your uncles and friends about this?"

[snip]

> I love hearing about the kids. But this is a food group
> and now you have to tell us what else they eat. Besides
> that first course... And can we eat them?

The tadpoles eat will eat pellets, green or red leaf lettuce,
aquatic plants, each other... They're not particular. It's rather
shocking to have forty one night and half the following morning.
When they morph into air-breathing amphibians, I fed them cut-up
worms (meal and earth), blocks of blood worms, and an unlucky
de-winged fly when Lady Luck allowed. When they become
full-fledged frogs, any insect unlucky enough to fly within range
of their mouth is going to disappear.

Clan Ranger enjoyed a pork stew that night with a warmed loaf of
sour dough and whipped-up honey-butter. The recipe for that is
below:

Pork Stew

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. OO (Olive Oil)
2 lb. Pork Tenderloin, cubed
4 large carrots, cut into 1" pieces
9 "baby" Yukon potatoes, cut in 1/2
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup acorn squash, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. marjoram (fresh has more flavor)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or a pizza parlor packet
is a convenient amt.)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup brown gravy
(1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups water, boiling)

Method:
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork cubes.
In a
large bowl, combine remaining ingredients except for broth and
gravy.
Pour into crockpot.
For gravy, use pan that pork was browned in. Melt butter. Mix
in
flour. Pour in water, stir and reduce.
Combine both broth and gravy, pouring over items already in
crockpot. Cover; cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-5 hours.
Serve
with a heavy bread, peasant's loaf or asiago. Serves six.

The Ranger

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> The Joneses > wrote in message

> [snip]
>
>> I love hearing about the kids. But this is a food group
>> and now you have to tell us what else they eat. Besides
>> that first course... And can we eat them?
>
> The tadpoles eat will eat pellets, green or red leaf lettuce, aquatic
> plants, each other... They're not particular. It's rather shocking to have
> forty one night and half the following morning. When they morph into
> air-breathing amphibians, I fed them cut-up worms (meal and earth), blocks
> of blood worms, and an unlucky de-winged fly when Lady Luck allowed. When
> they become full-fledged frogs, any insect unlucky enough to fly within
> range of their mouth is going to disappear.

Dog food is much cheaper than the pellets and they enjoy it just as much.
We always did our spring time hatch in last year's wading pool. As adults,
the little critters raised such a din that you could barely get to sleep at
night. Alas, we now have a wicked Cruella neighbor that enjoys denuding the
surrounding creekside landscape of any foliage or trees and dumping all yard
waste into the creek. All is silent.
Janet

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> The Joneses > wrote in message
> et...
>> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> "Dad!!"
>>>
>>> "Dad!!"
>>>
>>> "Com'ere! Quick!"
>>> (clipped froggy saga)
>
>> I love hearing about the kids. But this is a food group
>> and now you have to tell us what else they eat. Besides
>> that first course... And can we eat them?
>
> The tadpoles eat will eat pellets, green or red leaf lettuce, aquatic
> plants, each other... They're not particular. It's rather shocking to have
> forty one night and half the following morning. When they morph into
> air-breathing amphibians, I fed them cut-up worms (meal and earth), blocks
> of blood worms, and an unlucky de-winged fly when Lady Luck allowed. When
> they become full-fledged frogs, any insect unlucky enough to fly within
> range of their mouth is going to disappear.
>
> Clan Ranger enjoyed a pork stew that night with a warmed loaf of sour
> dough and whipped-up honey-butter. The recipe for that is below:
>
> Pork Stew
>
> Ingredients:
> 1 Tbs. OO (Olive Oil)
> 2 lb. Pork Tenderloin, cubed
> 4 large carrots, cut into 1" pieces
> 9 "baby" Yukon potatoes, cut in 1/2
> 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
> 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
> 1 cup frozen corn
> 1 cup acorn squash, seeded and chopped
> 1 tsp. ground black pepper
> 1/2 tsp. marjoram (fresh has more flavor)
> 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or a pizza parlor packet
> is a convenient amt.)
> 1 cup chicken broth
> 1 cup brown gravy
> (1/4 cup butter
> 1/4 cup flour
> 2 cups water, boiling)
>
(clipped tasty Method

Sounds real nice. I've got good marjoram and carrots in the garden, as well
as overgrown green onions that need using. And cilantro. Just a sprinkle.
I've been thinking of doing a pork roast with visions of leftovers, but just
enuf for a batch of stew might be better. I'd just naturally have to add an
ice cube of pico de gallo. Don't need a lot but a little perks stuff up.
Thanks,
Edrena

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> "Dad!!"
>
> "Dad!!"
>
> "Com'ere! Quick!"
>
> There was no mistaking the tones. They resonated with that edgy panic, the
> type that causes parents' hearts to constrict in fear and one's
> Imagination to careen out of control envisioning "the worst."
>
> I dropped the onions and knife into the sink with the remaining vegetables
> and turned at a dead run to the garage door. As I reached for the brass
> knob three excited, yet seemingly unbloodied and unbroken, daughter-units
> were jostling to get through the doorway. We all skidded to stops.
>
> "Who's hurt? Where's Miguel? Did you dump something? Why are you acting
> like someone got hurt?" I bellowed over their raucous chorus.
>
> My three magpies stopped their chittering and three jaws clacked shut;
> clack, clack, clack.
>
> Daughter-unit Beta looking down and scuffing her toe on the tile floor of
> the kitchen, her hands clasped tightly behind her back, ventured, "We got
> a frog."
>
> "YEAH! YEAH! We gotta uh uh uh FWROG!" Spawn yelled excitedly.
>
> I closed my eyes and started to count quietly. To calm the racing pulse
> that was keeping a beat in my temple. I took a deep breath and exhaled it
> slowly. "Good. Go out and see if the other seven are ready to morph," and
> I turned away to finish dinner.
>
> "But, Dad? You gotta come see him, first."
>
> I turned back towards Daughter-unit Alpha and saw the other two bobbing
> their exaggerated affirmations. I sighed again and dropped my chin to my
> chest, "Alright. For just a moment."
>
> This experiment in wildlife observation was turning out better than I'd
> hoped. We'd started with a capture of over 40 tadpoles, two snails, and
> several dozen other assorted creek-dwelling inhabitants. I'd even learned
> a valuable lesson on tadpole-ology; the suckers are vicious carnivores and
> voracious cannibals!
>
> The four of us squatted down around the tank that housed the remaining
> eight tadpoles we'd liberated from a nearby creek. I watched as a prime
> example of Darwinian Progress climbed out of the water and onto the side
> of the tank, almost a frog (except the remaining nub of a tail.) "Wow..."
> I breathed. "Cool, huh? You going to call up your uncles and friends about
> this?"
>
> "Can we??" three faces peered up as I walked back inside.
>
> "'Course," I frowned. "I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't serious. Each
> decide who calls who and you can start now."
>
> "ALRIGHT! I get..."
>
> We're on our seventh phone call and it would appear that we're going to
> have quite a crowd around the Clan Ranger International Amphibian
> Aquariums tomorrow. I guess I'd better make an effort to clean out my
> Catch-All-Clutter-Containment Center (aka "two-car garage").
>
> The Ranger



Nice story. I'd like to forward it, and gice credit. Do I give credit to
"The Ranger:"? Or another name?

Peter > wrote in message
news:05bji.15050$Io4.14500@edtnps89...
[snip]
> Nice story. I'd like to forward it, and give credit. Do
> I give credit to "The Ranger:"? Or another name?
Thank you. "The Ranger" works just fine.

The Ranger

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Peter > wrote in message
> news:05bji.15050$Io4.14500@edtnps89...
> [snip]
>> Nice story. I'd like to forward it, and give credit. Do
>> I give credit to "The Ranger:"? Or another name?
> Thank you. "The Ranger" works just fine.
>
> The Ranger


Thank you for the permission, I passed it one to someone who enjoyed it.
Thanks for fixing my typo when quoting my post too ;-)