Critters I Have Known

Dear Reader,

I’d like to introduce you to a few of my favorite critters. When we first moved to our home about nine years ago, there wasn’t much growing near the house, just a few small bushes with grass going from the road up to the house. We had a fence installed to keep our small grandchildren and dogs safe. The first year or two, I didn’t see any lizards or frogs, and I couldn’t understand why. But after planting hundreds of plants, bushes and trees, the little critters showed up and I was thrilled! I love sharing my gardens with amphibians and reptiles, and it is awesome that they like hanging out in the places we frequent most, like the fence and the patio which is surrounded by brick planters.

The frogs, toads and tree frogs always surprise and delight me no matter how often I see them. Each one is a live bit of happiness with unique sounds and funny eyes. I know spring is on its way each year when I hear the spring peepers coming from the creek in the woods behind our property. Spring leaf cleanup usually reveals a toad or two, and I sometimes find a gray tree frog sitting on the fence gate in the morning.

We also have several types of lizards now. The little green anole is able to change from a bright green to a dark brown color depending on its mood (go figure) or its stress level or to show dominance. The male has this pink throat that expands like a balloon when he’s trying to attract a mate. He bobs his head up and down and looks like he’s doing a funny dance. This one put on quite a show for me back in May. He blends in with the potted lemon tree behind him but you can see his bright throat.

You can see his whole show on my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/rUQJv88b_Sw?feature=share

The five-lined skink is quite a bit larger and has a knack for burrowing in my brick planters which make for a surprise when I pull out a plant and it hops out toward me, bright blue stripes and all. But I just laugh and feel glad it’s not a snake. The broad-headed skink is the largest on our property. I had one living under my steps at a previous home and he was a good 10” long. I always looked before stepping outside my kitchen door because he liked to bask in the sun on the stoop. Here they seem to also like hanging out near the house and I’m great with that. 

I have so many other friends from the animal kingdom that I want to tell you about another time. They inspire me daily and I’m so happy to have been able to pull together a habitat them and especially for the tiny baby lizards scurrying across the deck ahead of me.

Lizzy

By Trish Thayne

I chatted with a green anole this morning.

In her bright green lizard skin she sat atop the railing in the sun, 

watching the bugs on the pokeweed nearby, 

trying to figure out which one was worth the effort 

of moving two inches left and opening her mouth.

Instead we talked about 

the hanging basket that needs water, 

and oh how lovely is that Japanese maple, 

and geez I need to take care of that poison ivy by the stair,

and wouldn’t it be spiffy if she could turn purple instead of brown, 

In the end, I watered the pot and she jumped atop the pokeweed 

and we parted ways 

but we left each other

thinking about this silly gardener

who thinks she can speak lizard.

Sending thoughts of sunshine your way,

Trish