• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Home Garden Joy
  • Home
  • Gardening
    • Raised Bed Gardening
    • Month-by-Month Gardening Tips
    • Seed Starting
    • Compost and Fertilizer
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Tools & Equipment
    • Pests & Problems
    • Birds and Wildlife
    • Home Garden Tips
  • Plants
    • Plant Profiles
    • House Plants
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
    • Herbs
    • Growing Flowers
  • Recipes
    • Easy Recipes
    • Canning and Food Preservation
  • Books & Classes
    • Books for Christian Herbalists
    • Herbalism Classes
    • Books by Jeanne Grunert
  • About
    • Privacy Policy

Amphibious Landing

July 22, 2010 by Jeanne

I seem to attract wildlife, and that’s fine by me. I still get a thrill from random wildlife sightings and I hope that never goes away. I’m fascinated by everything in nature from the glittering stars to the vagaries of the weather. Insects, butterflies, birds, animals…even amphibians and reptiles.

And they seem strangely fascinated by me.

My last stop for the night before retiring is to take Shadow out for a quick potty break.  We usually walk no more than several hundred feet up the hill from the house to the edge of the woods. Keep in mind that I’m in the country, so there’s no light whatsoever. We have lights on the front porch which illuminate the scene just enough to cast threatening, evil shadows off of the porch.

I leashed up Shadow, flipped on the porch lights, and stepped into the humid, moist night.  Suddenly both Shadow and I instinctively leaped straight up in the air. My heart was racing. A squirming, hopping mass writhed around my feet.

Frogs. Toads. About a dozen of them ranging in size from Pierre’s toy mouse to a pack of playing cards. Hopping up and down, startled by the light perhaps or the giant sneaker bearing down on them.

I watched while they hopped into the garden, quickly taking refuge behind the azaleas and Ann’s bloomerang lilac. But what in the world were they doing standing in a group right in front of my door?

Are they just as fascinated with me as I am with them?

Or….does my glowing front doorbell attract insects, and make for a nice snack bar for the toads?

Filed Under: Personal

Previous Post: « Love of the Land
Next Post: Frugal Watering System »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ~Gardener on Sherlock Street

    July 22, 2010 at

    I think you’re on to something that they’re wanting the bugs on your porch. I don’t know if you doorbell is bright enough, but just light from inside the house can draw in bugs. I’ve never attracted frogs to the porch but we saw a little lizard yesterday and we always seem to have a spider with a large web. I always flip on the light before I open the door to check.

Footer

watering can with plants

August in the Garden: Late Summer Delight

August in the Garden: Tasks, Tips, and a Look Ahead to Fall Here in South Central Virginia, August has always felt like “back to school” season. By mid-month, the local schools are back in session, and with two universities in our small town, the stores fill up with dorm supplies and school gear. What a…

Read More

a close up of tulsi, also called holy basil, in bloom

How to Grow Tulsi from Seed

Holy basil, also called tulsi, can be grown from seeds. That, at least, is what everyone told me. I’d read about tulsi (holy basil) in several books about herbal medicine and seen it cited as a good adaptogenic herb. I was excited to grow it, so I ordered seeds. Several years in a row. Each…

Read More

Summer savory is an annual herb that was once used just like pepper.

What Is Summer Savory? A Friendly Guide to This Under‑Appreciated Herb

Many years ago, my friend Allie gave me a few summer savory seeds. I think we swapped them for plants. I do remember wondering what summer savory is, as I had never seen it in the grocery store. So why grow it? What’s the big deal? Summer savory is now a staple of my summer…

Read More

watering can with plants

July Gardening Tips: How to Keep Your Garden Thriving All Month Long

July brings long, sunny days and plenty of garden rewards—but also rising temperatures that can stress plants, pollinators, and gardeners alike. With a few smart adjustments to your routine, you can keep your garden healthy, colorful, and productive all summer. Here are our top July gardening tips to help you make the most of the…

Read More

  • About
  • Plant a Row for the Hungry
  • Awards
  • Privacy Policy

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Substack
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2026 Home Garden Joy on the Foodie Pro Theme