Dancing with Salamanders

So I spent most of yesterday in a sewer pipe. Not a real sewer pip mind you- the theatrical type. I was working the trap door for the show (Both shows). This meant a lot of time spent in a small dark space being quiet and jumping every time a light went on. It also meant babies falling from the sky sword fights and eye explosions and near-rapes going on over my head for extra effect. And then the sullied and dishonored prince of spain, Ben, wearing a loin cloth and growling a lot. (8 hours is a long time)

Yesterday was a big night. Let me say that again. Yesterday WAS Big Night. One night a year the salamanders go a courting and the wood frogs start their singing and you all know peepers just cant shut up anyways. After the show I booted up and found my trusty side kick (apparently all other happy hippies were indisposed but one can pull a sullen Steph! into a car with only a little effort and a few scrapes and scratches) and we headed off to the great unknown.

OH MY GOSH- The wilson pool was covered over in woodfrogs and the pool by the presidents house and the road marshy pool had some too. We couldnt get close enough to see anything there but the nyland pool!!! These salamanders are like 8 plus inches long and they live for years and years like as long as your dog even. They are all yellow spotted and stick out like reflectors when they come swimming at your light. And there was a decent sized toad hanging out there too. I think he was just a voyer because he as no business breeding in a pool that small but I photographed* him anyways. Promised him a picture for his mother. Caught a wee frog that I thought was a wood frog- think im all backwards and those are the peepers and the wood frog was in the church parking lot. I always get those 2 confused. And we took the drive down Chebbaco road...So many frogs tempting fate by crossing the road. The one amphibian crossing trench on the stretch is apparently ill used because I found a VERY squished bullfrog a foot away. We save a salamander from sure and certain road peril tambien. I have pictures* of him chilling in tire tracks. I wanted to ask him a few questions for an expose but the car was barreling down on top of us at that point so I wisked him to the other side and wished him and his childrens childrens children well. Then I danced and I giggled. And all is right with the world.

And now for church...-Jn


*When I get my computer back from the dead I will post some pictures of my new friends...