Even though it's still winter here in New York City, spring is in the
air, or just around the corner, as is said.

So I'm walking down the street in my neighborhood, and suddenly I
hear a frog croaking! A frog in this mostly cement-covered
neighborhood, with no appreciable body of water nearby except for a
few stray puddles left over from last night's sleet shower? A frog in
the midst of large apartment buildings crowded up against small,
huddled groups of attached houses which have been split up inside
into rental apartments, legally or illegally?

Well, some of those attached houses still have pocket-sized gardens
out in front which haven't yet been cemented over. So I began my
search. The frog croaking seemed to be coming from a small patch of
dirt, about five feet by five feet, which was crowded with white
plaster rabbits, ducks, and several sets of cherubic children. In the
growing season there will barely be room for plants!

Looking and looking I finally spotted it: an accurately painted green
ceramic frog sitting on a green ceramic lily pad, afloat on the
garden dirt.

A little hole in the frog's open mouth indicated the presence of some
sort of electronic soundmaking device hidden inside. Ah, the wonders
of modern technology!


spring is in the air!
even the ceramic frog
goes "ribbit! ribbit!"

Larry