robin, I've got a Savio skimmer. I've had the same problem with the frogs getting inside the skimmer and dying. It hurts when you've fed and got to know them all summer and then that happens at the end of their first year. I did similar to what jan and bradley did, putting a piece of heavy gauge aluminum screen in front of the skimmer opening. You have to be careful with this because if you have any leaves falling they will clog up that screened area much quicker than they would the skimmer basket. I also thought that by doing this just before the weather started to get cold that the frogs would figure out that the skimmer was going to be off-limits and they would head elsewhere. Next year I'm going to try something a little different. I made a small piece of screen that slides behind the handle opening of the skimmer basket, so they can't get through that, and then it folds over the top enough so they can't get over the space at the top when the lid is on. This way I can leave the screen off the front and the farthest they're going to get is into the skimmer basket. I won't have to worry about them getting to the area behing that where the pump is. kimbra, Try the HTML clickable thumbnails. Also, give the frogs some time and they will get used to you. I feed mine crickets and nightcrawlers and they come right up to me now and they'll let me pick them up. Once you coax a few to within a few feet of you with worms others will follow. I think you're always going to have some that just don't want anything to do with humans. Witz

Jo's Animal Swap box came yesterday!!! Lots of great stuff!!! There's something for practically everybody outside - the birds, the horses and the donkey, too. And stuff for the dogs, cats and me. Isn't this tiny doggie with his holiday wreath adorable? Handmade notecards - just lovely!- and a little butterfly windchime. Luther lounges now on his favorite old swivel chair on one of the softest pet blankets. Jo made up 1 for everybody, with name on each! Luther looks good on koalas (isn't that fabric cute!) Tiger knows what to do with a bunch of rawhide munchies. (He'd munch that tiny fuzzy doggie, too, given the chance.) She sent for indoor pets: -chewies and homemade blankies for dogs and cats AND -a pet fur picker-upper (at last!! : ) AND -some cute black and white pawprint fabric AND -a vast assortment of little spools of thread, all different colors, to sew doggie duds and etc with And for outdoor pets: -apples for the horses and donkey (much happy slobbering there!) For wild things outside: -2 big wild bird treatballs full of nifty ingredients and -a birch log suet feeder with homemade food for it - I can see the birds from my window when I'm down And for me: -a candle that smells MARVELOUS -lots of little craft kits I can do lying down: little animal jigsaw puzzles metalcraft animal pictures little animal themed paint by numbers (haven't done that in years. Great!) -an adorable little pinkypurple butterfly windchime (hung it over the bed I'm in during the day - tinkles very sweetly :) -2 refrigerator magnets - 1 cat lover theme, the other, dog -really beautiful notecards - I think you made these, right, Jo? -and that funny little border collie with his wreath! And then she made and tucked into the box: -a little white donkey sitting down - so cute! looks like Flapjack! -and a little southwestern style tiny cowskull that will sit on the sand with my cactus. Jo, I know caring for and loving your Mom takes so much of your time - I cared for my mom when she was so limited by Parkinson's disease, so I know how it is - and I appreciate that much extra the care and imagination you gave to this box. Thanks so much. Here's our grandbaby Marie at 6 mos. Cookies and footies! We just love her so. Barb

It's not even 6:00 AM and I'm up because there's so much to do today before heading out this afternoon trying to beat sunset and get my tent set up, and here I start the day with sad news. I'm heading to the grocery in a little while to buy the ingredients for Earthquake Cake, Marshmallows, Hershey Bars, and Graham Crackers, a package of Hot Dogs and Buns, and whatever else looks good for tonight and tomorrow night by the campfire. Half of the fun of the swap (if not more) is getting together with friends, chatting, giggling, and maybe some serious discussions thrown in. It's not going to be the same without Mona & David, and Cheryl, Catie and Aric. We're all going to miss you. Isn't there SOME way you can make it? If not, we're going to have some serious catching up to do in the spring! Virginia

Nectarine was a red headed floozy that traveled to a lot of KTer's homes. She was photo'd in some precarious situations! lol (FlamingO made a doll, Necatrine, that was mailed to KTers willing to host her)