The Legend of Legs Mahoney

Yesterday, Shane posted a picture on Facebook of the frog that he saved from their pool. He put him out front in the grass, and Shane later found him in the pool, saving him once again.

I said that if they wanted to, they could bring him over here to one of the Nutwood ponds! We have two small ponds, so he has lots of cousins at Nutwood, and the peeping can be quite loud at night. (I love it, though...I find it a comforting sound.) Shane said that if the frog comes back to the pond, he just might do that.

Later that evening, shortly after Ken got home, I get a call from Shane, who says, “Elite Frog Relocation Services will be arriving at Nutwood in about ten minutes!” I cracked up and said, “Okay, see you soon!”

Shane and Matt show up with a small cooler, and we walk out back to the larger pond. I said, “Let’s put him in that one, because the smaller one in the yard has a lining. This way he can be free to roam.” Turns out that Matt had dubbed Monsieur Frog “Legs Mahoney,” which I think is a fantastic name! They opened the cooler, and there was Legs looking up at us. Shane got him out onto the dead leaves at the edge of the pond, and Legs just sat there. I wondered if he was okay, and Shane said, “I can see him breathing. He didn’t move much when we were around him, so let’s step back.”

We did, and chatted about a couple of things, then looked again. He was gone from his spot in the leaves, and Ken was able to spot him in the water. “There he is!” Yep, he was floating there, kicking his legs a couple of times.

Success!

We wished Legs Mahoney a happy life at Nutwood. He’s among his people here...I think he’ll be happy.

I love it that Shane and Matt are good-hearted enough to drive out to relocate one lone frog. But as Shane said, either the chlorine was going to kill him, or he’d get sucked into the filter. Legs Mahoney wouldn’t have been long for this world if he’d stuck around Hanover Valley for long. He’s got a fighting chance in the ponds of Nutwood.

Just a word of caution, Legs: watch out for the hawks and owls!