• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Home Garden Joy
  • Home
  • How to Garden
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Diseases
    • Plant Profiles
    • Raised Bed Gardening
    • Seed Starting
    • Tools & Equipment
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Herbs
  • About
    • Books & Classes
      • Herbalism Classes
      • Books for Christian Herbalists
      • 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: Uncategorized

Previous Post: « Butterflies and Thunderstorms
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.

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Substack
  • YouTube

As Seen in Porch

 As Seen in Porch

We were featured in Porch.com and answered reader's questions about indoor plants.

Explore All Gardening Articles

Latest Articles

  • Beginner’s Tips to Starting a Vegetable Garden
  • What to Plant in Early Spring: Vegetable Garden
  • How to Grow Green Beans Organically

Herbalism Classes & Supplies

Goods Shop by Herbal Academy – botanically inspired products

Disclosure

Home Garden Joy participates in two affiliate programs: Amazon and The Herbal Academy. Home Garden Joy earns a commission from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate. As an Herbal Academy Associate, HGJ also earns a commission when you sign up for classes or purchase herbs or supplies from The Herbal Academy. Herbal information and recipes on this site are provided for educational purposes only.

Footer

green beans on the plant

How to Grow Green Beans Organically

Beans – whether green beans, snap beans, heirloom beans, or any other kind of beans – are easy to grow organically. They need warm temperatures, full sunshine, and fertile soil to grow at their best. While there are insect pests that will eat the leaves of bean plants, they generally don’t harm the beans themselves,…

Read More

a red wheelbarrow filled with mulch with a shovel leaning against it

How to Adjust Soil pH for Vegetable Gardens

How to Test Soil pH If you slept through high school chemistry class, never fear. You can still learn the basics of soil pH for vegetables to ensure a great garden this year. pH refers to the scale of acid to alkaline, a scale developed in the early 20th century by chemists trying to describe…

Read More

polyphemus moth caterpillar

Meet a Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar

We were on our evening walk last night when this beauty crossed our path: a polyphemus moth caterpillar. What Is the Polymphemus Moth? The Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) is a large and visually striking moth native to North America. It belongs to the Saturniidae family, which includes many of the giant silk moths. Its name…

Read More

garlic growing alongside beets

Home Grown Garlic: How to Grow Garlic

Love it or hate it, garlic is a staple of most pantries. I happen to love garlic, but I know that some do not like it – or the odor that lingers after eating it! Garlic offers many health benefits, and it definitely provides a wonderful, robust flavor to many dishes. As with most home-grown…

Read More

  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Awards

Copyright © 2025 Home Garden Joy on the Foodie Pro Theme