We also have a baby BullFrog in our above ground 24' round pool converted to a pond. One section is dug into the side of a hill. I am not sure this baby BullFrog will survive this coming winter. He is so small and yes, very illusive. We sank some clay pipes in the area that is dug into the hill. We also will have a mini-tote box heater going to keep the air hole so desparately needed and a back-up stock tank deicer. But I am very worried about our baby "Bully". We have 6 more BullFrog Tadpoles in the pond/pool and have only seen one sunning itself on a Water Hyacinth. Our Goldfish survived last winter with the stock tank deicer going, but we also did not have the Baby Bull Frog and a Green Frog. We know the Green Frog is able to get out of the pond/pool but I doubt baby "Bully" knows or will be able to. He is only a couple of inches long...but jumps as soon as he sees you have spotted him. :( And if we were able to catch him, I truly do not know what to do with him. :( Shoestring Ponder, CyndiMO

They've been croaking here more this week, but I was hearing a few in Feb. and I saw the first eggs a few weeks ago. They went through a freeze, so I don't know if that affected them or not...time will tell. I don't think there will be as many as the last couple of years since we kept the water from collecting on top of the pool this winter. We heard some on and off throughout the winter. I noticed the Indian Plums were starting to bloom in the woods.

Just wanted to update everyone on the plants in the tank. I've changed some of the plants around and now the plants in the tank are: Fittonia 'Red Anne' Sansevieria trifasciata ÂGolden Hahnii Baby rubber plant Ludisia discolor (Jewel orchid) Macodes petola (Jewel orchid)- I've researched this one and it says it only reaches 18 inches at the tallest) Philodendron ÂPrince of Orange Silver Philodendrum Goodyera pubescens (Downy Rattlesnake Orchid) Mounted Resurrection fern I have grown the Ludisia discolor for several years before putting it in the tank and it doesn't seem to be a tall growing orchid. Also, I've had the Macodes petola for about 2 years and it doesn't really seem to be one of the taller growing ones. The Philodendron 'Prince of Orange' is a hybrid that only gets 6 to 8 inches tall. I don't know if the baby rubber plant is the minima hybrid that stays small so that might have to be taken out if it grows too tall. Jewel orchids do like to remain slightly on the moist side. Actually, plants in my tank have to like soil that stays slightly moist because my soil in the tank always seems to remain on the slightly moist side so there really is no danger of my frog dehydrating. The jewel orchids have been in there for a month or two and are really thriving in the soil. I will try using the fruit flies that can't fly (they won't put larvae in the peat moss soil in the tank, will they). Another problem I had with the fruit flies was that the culture kept getting bad and killing the flies. The reason I don't want larvae getting in the soil is that last year I had to change the soil and wash off all the plants due to some baby recluse spiders showing up in the tank through infected plants (I now wash off any plants - roots and all - before they come into the tank) so I'm kind of wary of any critters living in the soil.

Oh, that would be everywhere, where the paint overlaps the tape. I was painting from 2 am to 4 am on Sat, Sun, and Tues nights. Ugggh! Thank you so much for telling me exactly what I have to do. I don't care if it takes a long time to remove the tape carefully, I want to protect my work!!! Painted rugs, hmmmmm. Right now they are in my fantasy brain. I don't dare share this with DH as we have so much on our plate already with finishing off the huge renovation job and moving by Sept 1. Then there is regular work and chasing children. So the painted rug is tabled, so to speak, until a rainy day.