s e n t i n e l

three years ago, we put in a small koi pond in our backyard. we added koi , goldfish, and turtles, but the frogs came on their own. from our rough calculations, our small pond is home to a dozen or so frogs. it’s challenging to get a good look at them, however, because they jump deep in the water as soon as you get within 10 feet of the pond. they are quite skittish - all except one. this particular frog is either mentally challenged. blind, or very brave because he always seems to be on the lookout. i was three feet from him when i snapped this picture, but the amphibious creature didn’t even flinch.
of course,steve is convinced that this frog is the omniscient guardian for the other frogs. steve, however, may be overly invested in the pond. whenever i can’t find him, 9 times out of 10, he’s out by the pond, either changing the filter or building hideouts for the fish or studying the intricate social phenomena of the ecosystem.
he’s always dreaming about bigger and better koi ponds. steve wants to turn our entire backyard into an interconnected series of ponds and streams. he’s fascinated with the wildlife the ponds attract. he holds fast to the tenet - “if i build it, they (frogs,turtles,birds,etc.) will come.”
which makes me happy because of the many photo opportunities right in my backyard.