“Croak, croak, cRoAaKkKKKKKK”

-The Frog In Our Backyard, 2023

Yes, that’s one of the many lovely animals that have taken up residence in our backyard. Only this time, it’s not furred (like the possums), feathery (like the magpies, kookaburras, crows, or cockatoos), it’s green and scaly and mournful.

Of course, my mum had mentioned frogs before, and friends had said, and I quote, “Yeah, everyone has frogs in their backyards!”, (you know who you are), which I found extremely, extremely strange, but had never paid it much heed.

Just a normal day, having dinner with the possums and gallivanting with the frogs, perhaps?

Until that one night, when I heard its heart wrenching croaks.

It sounded quite mournful, and I simply couldn’t locate where it was. There’s a reason I don’t visit the yard at night. God knows it’s going to think I’m another frog and jump straight out at me.

Em had no such qualms, probably after embracing her own animalistic selves. Keyword, selves.

They had a lovely conversation. It went mostly like this, though.

Frog: CROAK.

Em: Oh, it’s the frog again. HII!

Me: You’re talking to a frog and…

Frog: CROAK(in the exact tone Em said “Hi” in)

Me: IT REPLIED?

Em: Croak croak croak

Em: I love you, Fred!

Me: You named a frog?

Em: Shhh, I’m proposing

Frog: stops croaking

Twenty minutes later…

Em: It didn’t accept, clearly. It must be lonely.

Me: BECAUSE IT’S A FROG.

Me: Must be searching for you, its other half.

Frog: CROAK

Me: I can’t do this anymore. Enjoy your conversation, and I’m going to find peace, away from humans communicating with frogs and frogs existing in our backyard.

Who knew my younger sibling spoke frog?

What other animals do your backyards hide in the lurking shadows?

Also, me: OH MY GOD, IT’S A CROW IT’S GOING TO EAT ME.

Signing off…