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mara williams
on Jun 18 2013 - 06:00 AM
Hey, manchild, mama says: clean your room, wash the dishes, don't drink and drive.
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Emily Parnell
on Jun 16 2013 - 06:00 AM
Eating fresh, local produce is good for body and soul
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Jim Cosgrove
on Jun 13 2013 - 06:00 AM
I just want to buy some pants. Please, turn down the music.
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Splash! I turn my head to the direction of the water sound. In the past, if I heard a splash it would mean I better jump up to see what trouble the kids had gotten into. But this time, the splash is not a sign of distress, only the sound of the tadpoles playing around in the fish tank.
Yes, tadpoles. Two of them, to be exact, and their names are Mumford and Son. Two American Bullfrog tadpoles that I purchased at a local pet store, for about ten bucks, food included. Yes, they even have their own food, little tiny algae bites. Cheaper than the pounds of dog and cat food I buy every month.
I never, ever thought in a million years that I would say that I have pet tadpoles. Cats, absolutely since I have always been a cat owner. I was more skeptical when it came to dogs, but we found two that seem to be the perfect fit for our family. Heck, we even called ourselves snake owners for a couple of years before sadly, Princess the snake came to her demise.
My sons started working on their reptile and amphibian merit badge at scouts, which requires them to observe either a reptile or amphibian for a month, notating their observations in a journal. There has been much conversation in our house, along with trips to the pet store, trying to decide what animal the boys would observe. Turtles were pretty pricey and required an extravagant set up. We came very close to getting a lizard, since I did have some past experience (I owned Karma the Chameleon for several years as kid). My mind was wise to the long term commitment of having a lizard. I mean, my boys will graduate and won’t be able to take it to college.
Tadpoles were purchased on a Tuesday and a couple of weeks have passed. They have little back legs and they are beginning to look like frogs. The funny thing is that I just might be getting more out of these little creatures than those darned boys of mine. Every time I walk by that tank I peer inside, staring at those legs, trying to decide if they grew anymore since the last time I looked. I tap on the glass, make sure they are breathing. I was the one that thought it would be a good idea to add a big rock to the tank, which they do really seem to like.
Splash! I look over and see the tadpoles flitting around their tank and I wonder- how did I go forty years without actually seeing the lifecycle of a tadpole turning into a frog, only reading about it in books?
Splash! It doesn’t matter. I get to do it now, with my boys and I appreciate it so much more.
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