Can you name 10 things that your grateful for today?
I'm grateful for having the whole week off from work.
I'm grateful for eating out at Margarettaville yesterday.
I'm grateful for my Internet Business where I can work from home.
I'm grateful for healthy pets.
I'm grateful for a hard working husband.
I'm grateful for the fun we had grilling out on the grill last night.
I'm grateful for movie night.
I'm grateful for nature that I can sit and watch in my yard.
I'm grateful for crabs that crawl on the beach. They are really fun to watch.
I'm grateful for all the different BBQ sauce recipes that we've tried.
When is National Frog Month?
The month of April is always National Frog Month.
Are there other related Holidays? Yes!
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What is a frog?
Wikipedia tells us that "The frog is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning "tail-less", from Greek an-, without + oura, tail), formerly referred to as Salientia (Latin saltare, to jump). The name frog derives from Old English frogga, (compare Old Norse frauki, German Frosch, older Dutch spelling kikvorsch), cognate with Sanskrit plava (frog), probably deriving from Proto-Indo-European praw = "to jump".
"Adult frogs are characterised by long hind legs, a short body, webbed digits, protruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Most frogs have a semi-aquatic lifestyle, but move easily on land by jumping or climbing." "They typically lay their eggs in puddles, ponds or lakes, and their larvae, called tadpoles, have gills and develop in water. Adult frogs follow a carnivorous diet, mostly of arthropods, annelids and gastropods." "Frogs are most noticeable by their call, which can be widely heard during the night or day, mainly in their mating season."
"The distribution of frogs ranges from tropic to subarctic regions, but most species are found in tropical rainforests. Consisting of more than 5,000 species described, they are among the most diverse groups of vertebrates." "However, populations of certain frog species are significantly declining."
"A distinction is often made between frogs and toads on the basis of their appearance, caused by the convergent adaptation among so-called toads to dry environments; however, this distinction has no taxonomic basis." "The only family exclusively given the common name "toad" is Bufonidae, but many species from other families are also called "toads," and the species within the toad genus Atelopus are referred to as "harlequin frogs."
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Cooked Frog Legs
Frog Legs are one of the better-known delicacies of French and Chinese cuisine. They are also eaten in other regions, such as the Caribbean, the region of Alentejo, in Portugal, northwest Greece and the Midwest and southern regions of the United States. A type of frog called the edible frog is most often used for this dish.
French: The frog legs are particularly traditional in the region of La Dombes, département of Ain and in the region of Lyon, where they are traditionally prepared in a butter, garlic and parsley sauce and often served only with a salad or steamed rice.
The dish is common as well in French speaking parts of Louisiana, particularly the Cajun areas of Southwest Louisiana as well as New Orleans. They were introduced to New Orleans by Donat Pucheu.
Only the upper joint of the hind leg is served, which has a single bone similar to the upper joint of a chicken or turkey wing. They are commonly prepared by frying or deep-frying, sometimes breaded and sometimes unbreaded.
In the South (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida) Although rare to find in an eatery, people will go onto a river or pond/lake at night in a boat, shining a flashlight along the shore to see the light reflection in the frogs eyes. Once spotted they will move in close and "gig" the frog (stab the frog with a spear) .
The legs are traditionally cooked with an egg/cracker crumb breading. They are either fried or grilled.
In Chinese cuisine, they are usually stir fried and mixed with other light spices, stewed, fried, or made into congee, which is a famous dish in Cantonese cuisine. They are eaten off the bone.
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Frog Game
Are you ready for some frog fun?
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Pet Frogs
American green tree frogs are one of the most popular pet frogs.
The American green tree frog is available in most pet stores and cost between US$10-$20 each. They are relatively easy frogs to take care of. They need a large (at least ten-gallon) terrarium and do well with bark, pebbles, or even paper towels on the floor of their terrarium.
When keeping green tree frogs, it is to remember that the frogs need a roomy, clean terrarium with high humidity. Captive frogs should not be handled any more than necessary. Regular handling is stressful and unhealthy for amphibians, as the chemicals in human skin can be detrimental to them. Anyone keeping tree frogs or other amphibians needs to understand that they are living creatures, not toys. frogs should be viewed in the same fashion as aquarium fish: they are for display only.
The frogs will benefit from having live plants in their terrarium. Pothos are an excellent choice to tree frog terrariums. Pothos can be left in pots, grown in jars of water or planted directly into soil on the bottom of the terrarium. The plants will provide the frogs with places to perch and will help maintain high humidity. Green tree frogs thrive best at humidity levels around 75%; spray the terrarium once or twice a day using a plant mister filled with pure water to help maintain appropriate humidity levels. Do not use water containing chlorine or heavy metals, as these chemicals can soak into the frogs and kill them. Water should be provided in a shallow non-metal bowl on the bottom of the terrarium. Water in this bowl should be changed often. The frog is very sensitive.
Pet Tree Frog Temperature
Green tree frogs thrive in a temperature range of 68-75°F. Do not allow the terrarium to get too hot. If supplemental heating is required, a low-wattage incandescent light can be placed over one end of the terrarium to provide heat (the 25-watt colored light bulbs sold in department stores are ideal). Use a thermometer to measure the temperature inside the terrarium. Full-spectrum fluorescent lights can be placed over the terrarium to provide light for plants. Ultraviolet lighting is not needed.
Pet Tree Frog Diet
Captive green tree frogs should be offered small crickets, waxworms and silkworms. If offering crickets, feed them chicken mash or dry rodent food to ensure the crickets' bodies are rich in nutrients. This should be done at least 12 hours before offering the crickets to the frogs. Adult green tree frogs will eat 2-4 small crickets every other day; young animals should be fed pinhead crickets and other tiny insects on a daily basis. It may be helpful to dust the insects with a vitamin/mineral supplement at every other feeding. Green tree frogs may or may not eat flies depending on the size of the frog.
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The American green tree frog is the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana.
