Adult Cope's Gray Tree Frog and tadpoles
in both of the rain barrels.
Mid summer and the heat is on...Dog Days of Summer comes to mind, but frogs have a mind of their own! We had been having a lot of evening "music" in the yard here and in the valley below...love hearing the frogs sing at night! Apparently some Cope's Gray Tree Frogs took a real liking to our side rain barrels and laid eggs there, which then gave us a bumper crop of tree frog tadpoles. Only real drawback has been not being able to use water out of the barrels...it hasn't rained here in 16 days and the heat is oppressive in the yard and gardens.
Rain Barrel Hotels
Little Cope's Gray Tree Frog still with a bit of it's
tadpole tail - with a dime for size comparison!
A drink glass with just a few tadpoles.
A Little goofing around (I hope!).
The tree frogs have been a fun diversion to the acreage...kind of takes me back to being a kid again! My Mother would let me keep frogs, toads and turtles in the basement..."Free Range"! We really were pretty bug free for a few years until I grew out of the menageries!
I actually became pretty good at raising frogs and toads - there were gallon honey jars everywhere (no honey in them of course!) filled with water and vegetation and tadpoles; it was a real blast watching the transformation. Now-a-days it's just fine sharing a garden path with toads and frogs on occasion as well as enjoying the night music!
Aside from Herps I've been busy with a few Artisan Road Trip exhibits and a small solo showing....A.R.T has had 2 exhibits simultaneously in Minnesota and Iowa one at the Nobles County Art Center in Worthington, Minnesota and one at the Pearson Lakes Art Center in Okoboji, Iowa. on August 1st we'll also have an exhibit at the Red Rock Art Center in Fairmont, Minnesota too. On top of all that I have a small exhibit that'll run all summer (though August) at the Lost Island Prairie Wetland Nature Center at Lost Island Lake in Palo Alto County.
"Spring Bobolink"
oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison
On
top of all that I have a small exhibit that'll run all summer (through
August) at the Lost Island Prairie Wetland Nature Center at Lost Island
Lake in Palo Alto County, north of Ruthven, Iowa.
"Dickcissel"
color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison
The natural wetland areas around Lost Island are a particular favorite of mine; commingling the wetlands and the tallgrass prairie "is the best of both worlds"!
"Big Bluestem in Bloom"
color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison
The Lost Island Prairie Wetland Nature Center gives the public an appreciation and basic understanding of the wetlands and offers opportunities to enjoy the beauty of these natural treasures. One of the goals of the Lost Island Prairie Wetland Nature Center is to give to give visitors the information and skills needed to make wise decisions regarding our natural resources, to become better stewards of the land and to make an impression that will last a lifetime.
Its been a busy summer so far! Catch the showing of select artwork on display July through the end of August - and take in the beauty of our wetlands and prairies while you're at it! A win -win!
Stay cool out there!
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