While spring is still trying to emerge in the U.P., down south here they are having thunderstorms like we see in July. Driving down from Little Rock I was expecting to take a side trip in a funnel cloud any time. I think it will take 2 days to make it through the bayou, especially if I hope to spend any time in New Orleans.

Thanks to Peggy Riemer for some squishy scenes from the northwoods. A little different flavor from the swamps around here.
G'night from Louisiana and good morning from da U.P. trip notes

Is that a hand under the cluster of tadpole eggs?

Yucky! This is not typical of the lovely, scenic pictures I'm used to seeing from the Pasty Cam! Do you think froggy would turn into Prince Charming if somebody (ugh) kissed him?

Cool! Neat pictures Peggy!

Cool pictures, There is beauty in all of natures living things

The spring peepers were already making beautiful music in Iron Mountain last night.

Ahh beauty is in the eye of the beholder indeed. A revolting scene to one may be alluring to another. I feel nature has it's own splendor in any form, and the splendor it imparts is a remarkable illustration of the exquisiteness of our area. Kudos on the shots.
Wheatman

Truly beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me nature is almost always beautiful. Nice pics.

I was gonna say what the heck is that second picture of -- looks like polka-dot brains -- but I guess it's tadpole eggs??! Looks like the older I get the less I've seen. If that is a hand, can you tell us what tadpole brains feel like? Thanks for the fun photos! Wish I could hear those froggies right now.

Eeeeeewwwwwww!

THE MUSIC OF NATURE FROM SWAMPS, WHISPERING PINES, WIND RUSTLING LEAVES, LAUGHING WATERS, BUBBLING BROOK, SPLASHING GITCHEE GUMI, BIRDS CHIRPING SINGING TO THE LORD FOR OUR ENJOYMENT TOO.

I love the UP and envy you who are fortunate enough to live there. Spring is in full swing down here, but we don't hear many frogs at night in Cleveland. I guess asphalt is not their environment.

These are wonderful pictures! Thanks! My daughter
printed them out for her scrap book. It's fascinating to see nature in action. We wish we were up there now to scoop up some of these eggs to examine, and witness the transformation from egg to tadpole to frog. Sure, the life cycle can be studied from a book, but what's better than the real thing? The UP is a veritable science lab with it's own ecosystem that is not created in a school room. There are not many places of which the same can be said.

While these photos are "icky" to some, to me they bring back many fond memories of childhood. It was always a race to see who could collect the first tadpoles to bring to school in the spring! Happily, I am able to live by the pond of my childhood and still enjoy catching frogs with the kids in my life. God's miracle of life is incredible when we consider the birth of a child, and no less awesome when it comes to frogs, butterflies, the birds and all of creation. I am humbled any time I take pause and consider the creation of life - in any form, frogs included.

I so agree with Greta. These pictures take me back to weekend trips to Farm-Grandma's (we also had a Town-Grandma) house in Tapiola. The pond there was a great place to observe the life cycle of frogs. It would be wonderful if my totally urban children had an opportunity to experience the wonder of this season in the country.

Someone's "yucky" is going to end up as someone's new wallpaper.

Or maybe a jigsaw puzzle!

I have fond memories of frog eggs and tadpoles. There is 11 years difference between my younger sister and me. At age 4 and 15 it's a big deal. I guess one day I was tired of it looking like she was spoiled rotten, so in the evening I went down to my favorite creek and caught a big jar full of tadpoles and poured it under the cover of "baby" sister's wading pool. Her screech the next morning was such a delight to hear. She may have forgotten it, but I never well. What a hoot!

These are cool pictures!!!! Isn't it wonderful how God created even the yucky frog!!!

Toivo, a look at the route leave projections easy for the Tech engineer. To hit Maine, you will almost have to hit northen NH. Pittsburgh, NH is a natural. Also to return home, the Detroit crossing is also a natural. Even if you choose Port Huron, we can have a contingent waiting. It would only make sense to make Michigan the last stop on the way home to complete the circle. We will be waiting with "refreshments" etc.

Hi....When I was a kid....we called them "Pollywogs" and I could spend hours watching them and catching them.....great way to spend a lazy summer day!!

"Here Froggie Froggie" "Here boy"

oh I just thought of a funny story...we have a small, but nice pond in our back yard..last summer while laying in bed one night I heard this terrible noise..I couldnt figure out what the heck it was...it was not the typical croak of a frog..I mentioned it to my room mates after hearing this awful noise for two nights in a row..they laughed at me and said it was a frog. The next night I stayed up and crept outside just to take a look and make sure my room mates where right..the noise started up so I walked slowly up to the pond sure enough there were two frogs...girl and boy...what did we have after awhile? millions of tadpoles in our small pond...the 4 fish we had in the pond couldnt eat the tadpoles fast enough soooo instead of having a back yard infestation we had to collect all the tadpoles. This year we've decided when we start hearing the frogs we'll catch them "if we can" and take them down to the river..wow what a sound i've never heard them sound like that.. sheesh. Any way thought I'd share

Toivo,

Sounds like you made this trip alone. I would have gone with ya. I would have paid half the expenses and drove half the way!!!

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEERHOLDER

After hiking uphill along a trickling, rock-filled creekbed, and after pitching our tent by the light of an inadequate flashlight, my brother and I spread our sleeping bags determined to aquire a good nights sleep in preparation for an early morning Keweenaw County wilderness fishing experience.

Shortly after zipping the door of the tent closed, the choir started practising. Must have been a million of them all around this six acre lake.

The little buggers only stopped when they were interrupted by the heckling sounds of a pack of coyotes jokingly yoddling during the graveyard hours while running through the woods.

All God's creatures, great and small, have something to say. tee-hee.

To superiorgirl,
I really don't think you could have got that any better than you did. I rember those days, best time of my life. Would'nt change it for a billion.

Tammy
I also know people from Tapiola, used to live there years ago. Who are your folks?

Reminds me of... the bubbles in bubble tea! Chewy tapioca balls, slurrrb!

Emmy & Rosey, hear me?

cool pictures!!!!