Pollywogs Memories

I remember spending summers at the Russian River where we would catch so many pollywogs in buckets and let them go a day later. Some were so big with long hind legs...only a few days away from becoming a frog. Throughout the summer you could hear the frogs happily singing in the evening, catching the tiny flies that skimmed the water. As I grew up, the pollywogs dwindled, sometimes you saw only a few in the shallow waters and the frog croaking was sporadic. By the 1990s, the pollywogs and frogs had all but disappeared. But there is hope. A few summers ago, I saw a few pollywogs along the banks of the river, including an elusive river otter. As the river has been cleaned up, more wildlife is returning. The river is slowing becoming more musical with the sounds of life. As I paddle in our canoe, I'm hopeful that pollywogs will continue to flourish and turn into frogs....bringing back their loud songs in the evening.