As you know from Tuesday’s post, I went looking for frogs, known as Spring Peepers, in a small wooded area on Grosse Ile. On multiple park websites I follow, many hikers, who had trekked through various woodland trails in the metro area, described hearing the Spring Peepers and I was bound and determined to find and photograph some for my blog. As you know from that post, they remained elusive … to my eyes anyway; I heard them just fine.
Just a handful of days later, I was walking through the neighborhood, while Council Point Park was on lockdown, and I was looking for the house with the metal container of dog treats. I found that house, along with a treasure trove of critters, beautiful tulips (no I did not tiptoe through them, though it was inviting to do so) and a touch of whimsy. Since the title of my blog includes the word “whimsy” I got busy taking photos of some of the items at this house, which is a corner lot. There is no grass on this property. The front yard is mostly ground cover of ivy and at the side of the home, it is a combination of small plants, rocks, ceramic critters and doodads, including whirligigs, mushrooms – where do I start? Where do I stop? I came home with many photos, but sorted them down so I don’t lose any of you readers one-third of the way through this post.
The frogs were plentiful – they were my favorites.
Just like my prior treks every Spring for sightings and photos of ducklings and cygnets, the Spring Peepers eluded me, but they are not the first amphibian to do so. Every Summer, in the still of the morn at Council Point Park, I hear the rhythmic belching of the resident bullfrog. I’ve yet to see Mr. Bullfrog (BTW only male bullfrogs croak), but sometimes I hear a faint splash in the water and wonder if I spooked that bullfrog or was it the carp playing tag or spawning? A few weeks ago, I was intent on taking a photo of cottonwood fuzzies on the Creek surface and I was surprised to hear a splash and caught the tail end of a frog jumping in the Creek headfirst … one must have two pair of eyes sometimes!
So, at this home, the frogs were plentiful. I liked the two I used in the header image. This is what the one praying frog looked like up close and then nestled near some tulips.
These lounging frogs caught my eye as well. There were additional frogs which I have not included in this post.
There were a few more critters peeping from the garden.
Here was a turtle and I told myself that at least I was seeing a ceramic turtle, though, given my druthers, I’d prefer seeing a row of real turtles basking in the sun on a log in the Ecorse Creek.
I had a similar thought when I saw the geese … the week before I had seen the geese and their goslings and I knew I would be missing them growing up … sigh. I decided there would be more geese and goslings at Council Point Park in the years to come, but for the present time, I had to be content with these geese, which evoked a few memories for me. I had a pair of very life-like, true-to-size Canada geese in my backyard for years. They looked so realistic, that when I staked them in the yard after buying them at a local nursery, my neighbor Jim hustled over to the fence and remarked: “Land sakes girl, I thought geese done landed in your yard and I had to have a look-see!” I wonder if geese flying overhead stopped to ponder whether a few of their brethren were grazing on the grass in my backyard? So, these geese brought back a few memories of Mickey and Minnie, as I called the pair. They were a bit of a pain as every time it rained, or you watered, you had to unscrew their heads and turn them upside down and empty the water out – water tended to seep through the open area in their head/neck region.
Time to tiptoe through the tulips – no wait … that would be trespassing!
The temptation sure was there to tiptoe through the tulips. It was tulip time … in the neighborhood anyway and I’d already seen an abundance of tulips, in an assortment of colors. We never had tulips at this house, though we had them in Canada, a mess of them. When we moved to the U.S., my father ordered some bulbs from Holland and planted them in the Fall. When he did yard clean-up the following Spring, he found many half-eaten tulip bulbs laying about the yard. Only one tulip bulb had not been unearthed by the squirrels and it was at the base of a long-gone birch tree. That tulip bloomed solo for years. Michigan’s longstanding annual Tulip Festival was cancelled this year due to COVID-19 which was a real shame. These bright-red tulips with a touch of filtered morning sun on them were beautiful.
Likewise, these tulips were pretty in pink hues …
… and beyond this pastel palette was an exquisite door and the garden continued. If a homeowner was outside, I would have asked to take a peek (yes, I am that bold) but it was early and I was the only one taking in all this exquisite beauty.
Here’s another view of the cross-street side yard ….not a single blade of grass to mow, but you’d better believe that these folks spend a lot of time maintaining the area anyway.
Even the sidewalks had a touch of whimsy. This was where the childrens’ hand prints were located that I featured in last week’s Wordless Wednesday post.
Summer is newly minted, but then it was still Spring, a sunny May morning when I took this stroll.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
What a wonderful assortment of photos, I love the frogs posing. This is one easy way to get their photographs. What a pretty place they have. Lots of work but wonderful to look at.
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It sure was unique Sandra and a lot of work. I think the fact that the early morning light was illuminating those tulips made them look even prettier. I had many more tulip pictures, but you know how it is when you are looking at something … you take loads of pictures that often all look alike when you get home. This was the case with the tulips for me. The fact that it was a double/corner lot without one blade of grass seemed incredible to me. They really liked mushrooms and there were ceramic mushrooms of every size and color. A few weeks ago I walked by there as I was interested to see what flowers were there, but I didn’t see any. I’ll go back again before Summer is over as they may have perennial late bloomers. This is a picture of Mickey and Minnie that I featured in this post: https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/08/06/welcome-back-canada-geese-and/
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The frogs are cute and so cooperative when it comes to being photographed. I like gardens that are whimsical, but even if those frogs were just sitting under a tree they’d be cool.
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I like whimsical gardens as well Ally. I have some whimsy in my garden. I’ve included a few critters and given a country flavor to it. The woman who sponsors an annual butterfly garden walk in her backyard (with the donation for the walk-thru is an item on her animal shelter wish list) has the most whimsical yard/garden I have ever seen. The yard is full of metal art work, some cement like these cute frogs, a pond and endless flowers. You could just walk around taking it all in for an hour, whether you see butterflies or not, it is an experience.
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I love tulips! I’m glad you found the frogs 💕
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These tulips were amazing Ellie – I think the pale pink were my favorite and they were all the exact same stage of opening which was nice too. Sometimes you have a garden and some tulips are just in bud, some open, some spent already … these were just identical and perfect. This was just a few days later after my froggy foray, so I knew I had to pair it with the other post.
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Beautiful tulips. They are long gone in my area, the last blooming in early to mid-May. That house was cute. They incorporated a lot of stuff without looking cluttered.
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I thought so too Kate. What made those tulips so beautiful was they were all open the same amount. I never see that in the neighborhoods when the tulips come out – there are always stragglers opening while others are spent already. And that door with the sun was just magnificent. Yes, there’s a fine line as to too much/a cluttered look.
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We have no shortage of frogs at the farm but the turtles are very elusive. That garden does look like a whimsical place. I do wonder what is inside the gate. Probably a good thing you didn’t tip toe – we would then have to call you Tiny Tim.
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I’ve only seen a handful of turtles at the Park since it reopened Ruth so it is kind of like at the farm. They usually line up along a log, by seniority, and plop into the water if I get too close to them. Too bad you can’t transplant a few turtles to the farm. Yes, the garden was very whimsical and I will walk by again and hope I can have a look-see behind the beautiful gate. I have the long hair, but not the falsetto voice, so I didn’t go tiptoeing … maybe I ought to start practicing that song for next year?
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Miss Linda…………………………..thank you for sharing “The Spring Peepers!”…………………………how did you find them driving all around Grosse Ile. It is large island…………………………..It’s almost tempting to have a back yard with no grass to cut!
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Ann Marie – I never saw one but I heard them in the bog and next year I’m going to aim to find them. That video was so fascinating to me. Also, I was talking to Bob yesterday (the guy who lives on Grosse Ile)and told him about this trip I took back in May. He asked me if I went past the little log house in this nature area. I said I had to quit the trail and head back as it got muddier and there was water seeping in later on the trail. I could have taken my boots for this walk, but it had not been raining beforehand for many days and it had been nice ans sunny so never thought to bring them. He told me if I stayed on the trail, I would see this log cabin which has become a little dilapidated and also in the Fall many deer with huge antler racks. He/wife walk around the Island every morning, but then he drives to Council Point Park to walk with another guy there. The house with the frogs was in Lincoln Park. It is on a corner on Winchester. It is a huge property and yes, not a blade of grass, lots of ivy and rocks and whimsical characters. I’d like that, wouldn’t you?
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It looks like a very nice place – love the frogs! And the tulips are lovely too!
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Yes, whimsical and lots to see, no grass to mow, just ground ivy and the tulips were all the exact same stage of opening which made them look extra nice.
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I have 2 strategies for actually seeing Spring Peepers. Either go out at night with a flashlight where you know they sing and look at tree trunks or go to a puddle where they are singing during the day and be very still for several minutes. You will eventually see many pairs of eyes poking up from the surface of the water. Of course, you will have to wait for next year now. They are very hard to see when they are not calling.
Love that sunshine gate!
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Well that is good to know Laurie and now that I am armed with that knowledge, I’ll see them next Spring, even I don’t photograph them. They sure were cute in that video – yes frogs can be cute when they are that tiny. Yes, that gate was just gorgeous – I would have loved to see what was beyond it!
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I had a little frog I had picked out one year for mothers day. I think it is still packed from the year I packed the house thinking my house would sell. I have to look though and I keep forgetting. If it isn’t there then it is buried by pachysandra in my yard!
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One day it will turn up and surprise you. I know I have things that I have misplaced or can’t remember where I saw them (even a few minutes later … yes pitiful).
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I have never understood how I can walk out of a room and have absolutely no recollection of what it was I wanted to go get.
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Oh, I do that all the time – I get downstairs and have to come back upstairs to remember what I wanted!
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It was so nice to see Spring again. Nice post and what a yard they have!
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Yes, I kept putting that post off and pushing other ahead of it – those tulips were perfect Diane … all had opened the same amount, all straight up, no damage … it looked very nice and what a nice mix in their yard they had!
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I love garden art… especially when it’s slightly hidden and you just come upon it… always delightful. The blue frogs are very cute… without being too cutesy-cute.
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Yes, for all the garden art they had in this yard, it was not overdone. The annual butterfly walk I attend for charity and you go in a homeowner’s yard has just amazing metal yard art … it’s a real treat to walk through it.
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Thank you for sharing the whimsical things you see on your walks. Seeing the pops of colors always brighten the day!
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Yes, those peeking frogs from amidst the tulips were fun to see. And the tulips were just perfect to complement them!
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Bright colors and objects grab my attention too!
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Look so wonderful 😊😊
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The praying frog is my favorite! At first, it looked like it was hiding a giggle but praying works too. 🙂 The owners of this place make it look so effortlessly pretty, but I’m sure they put a lot of work into their craft.
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I thought there was something whimsical about his posture and face too Esther. You are right – they may not have to mow, trim or edge, but keeping everything under control would not be easy. It is a double lot too, so lots of maintenance.
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Dedication and talent! I’m sure it’s not an easy task to upkeep a large property. But lucky for them…they are highlighted on your blog. and we can all appreciate it. 🙂
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Yes, I should go by and if I see them tell them the blog link. I don’t go by there on a regular basis – I went back during the lockdown at the Park and I told a fellow blogger how people put out dog treats in a metal container, so I was curious if they still that nicety and they did. So I discovered the landscaping.
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That would be fun to do! And what thoughtful people to put out dog treats. You hear of people who are unreasonable and all the bad news we’re hearing, ex. freeway road rage, mask meltdown, but there are some great people out there too.
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Yes, and my friend lives in New York in a quaint little town of Honeoye Falls. She has taken to walking the last month or so and says in the heat, that people leave bowls and bottled water at the end of their driveways for pooches on their daily walks. That is so nice too. Yes we need more niceness in the world – it is in short supply right now.
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Love it!! Can you imagine the surprise of those pooch owners when they see that?! And the pooch?! Smiles all around. Small gestures but ot says so much.
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Yes, I agree – the smallest gesture can bring a smile to others … why is so difficult for people to understand that?
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You said it best!!
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