Last night when I lifted off the lid of my little hot tub I inhaled the steamy clouds wafting up from the toasty 104 degree water. I turned on the bubbles before I got in to circulate the chlorine.
I have to get in gradually when the water is that hot. Ahhh. The bubbling water feels like hot champagne. So soothing.
It took a few minutes to realize that something kept brushing against my legs that didn't feel like bubbles or chlorine tickles.
There.
What was that? Something was there. I finally reached over and turned off the bubbles and stood up.
The water cleared quickly as the remaining air fizzed to the surface.
What was that twirling on the bottom there? A leaf? I reached for it and, oh no! It was a soft little lifeless body. Limp. Eyes unblinking. Sort of cooked looking. It was one of the tree frogs that had been huddling under the rubberized canvas flaps of the cover recently. She must have fallen into the hot swirling water when I lifted off the lid! Perhaps overcome by chlorine fumes.
I looked closely. Moved the little arms and legs looking for life. Nothing. Sad, I set the body aside and decided I wasn't in hot tub mood anymore.
This morning when I checked for frost I happened to think about the frog. Yep, still there in the same position. A little bit dry now. Cold. I picked her up and went out to check tomato plants. I walked around in the yard a bit.
What? Did I just feel something? I opened my hand and the body lay lifeless, as before.
Again. Something. I opened my hand again and stretched out one of the tiny frog legs.
And it moved back. But you know how frogs have those reflexes that never end right? We learned that in biology... But, what if?
I carried my little corpse to the kitchen sink and ran the water until it was just a bit over room temperature. I dropped my frog cadaver into a bowl of warm water. She settled to the bottom, belly up. I must have been mistaken.
Wait, that was an arm swishing. I drained the water and raised the temperature a bit. I put just a little water in the bowl and laid her in it. She gathered her legs under her and sat up!
I changed the water a few more times until all of a sudden there was a breath! Her little throat started taking in air.
I now have a tree frog sitting in a cup next to my keyboard. Her name is Laza. Short for Lazarus of course. Not quite sure what to do with her. Perhaps tomorrow afternoon will be warm enough to tuck her under some mulch in the garden.
It took a few minutes to realize that something kept brushing against my legs that didn't feel like bubbles or chlorine tickles.
There.
What was that? Something was there. I finally reached over and turned off the bubbles and stood up.
The water cleared quickly as the remaining air fizzed to the surface.
What was that twirling on the bottom there? A leaf? I reached for it and, oh no! It was a soft little lifeless body. Limp. Eyes unblinking. Sort of cooked looking. It was one of the tree frogs that had been huddling under the rubberized canvas flaps of the cover recently. She must have fallen into the hot swirling water when I lifted off the lid! Perhaps overcome by chlorine fumes.
I looked closely. Moved the little arms and legs looking for life. Nothing. Sad, I set the body aside and decided I wasn't in hot tub mood anymore.
This morning when I checked for frost I happened to think about the frog. Yep, still there in the same position. A little bit dry now. Cold. I picked her up and went out to check tomato plants. I walked around in the yard a bit.
What? Did I just feel something? I opened my hand and the body lay lifeless, as before.
Again. Something. I opened my hand again and stretched out one of the tiny frog legs.
And it moved back. But you know how frogs have those reflexes that never end right? We learned that in biology... But, what if?
I carried my little corpse to the kitchen sink and ran the water until it was just a bit over room temperature. I dropped my frog cadaver into a bowl of warm water. She settled to the bottom, belly up. I must have been mistaken.
Wait, that was an arm swishing. I drained the water and raised the temperature a bit. I put just a little water in the bowl and laid her in it. She gathered her legs under her and sat up!
I changed the water a few more times until all of a sudden there was a breath! Her little throat started taking in air.
I now have a tree frog sitting in a cup next to my keyboard. Her name is Laza. Short for Lazarus of course. Not quite sure what to do with her. Perhaps tomorrow afternoon will be warm enough to tuck her under some mulch in the garden.
