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A rash of thunderstorms came through yesterday, dousing the area. One storm was labeled with a tornado vortex as it passed near us, and although there was no funnel cloud or anything, the thunder and lightning were like nothing I had ever seen or heard.

The ground is now saturated.

When it gets this wet in the country, we experience the emergence of certain critters.

For example, some people fight moles in their yards. You know, mole holes, bumps, etc.

We, on the other hand, have craw dads.

Those holes and nearby clumps of mud out there in the grass are not home to anything furry.

Those holes are home to crustaceans, with big pinchers.

When the ground gets saturated, they all come out for a nice night walk.

Feeding the dogs last night was interesting...

However, the excitement came when I first hit the bottom of the stairs - before even going outside.

See, we sometimes leave a door open down there to let air through and what-not. We have no screen door.

And when I rounded the corner to head for the dog food bin...

There sat a big ole' bull frog in the middle of the basement.

Now, I don't know if you city folks can accurately picture the size of a country bull frog.

When I say 'big' I mean 'BIG'.

This is not a frog you can catch with one hand.

Matter of fact, two hands sometimes won't do it either.

And slick?

It's like trying to catch a greased pig.

I played the damsel and let Frank tackle the job while I dodged craw dads in the yard to feed the dogs.

I realize this is country entertainment - not a tragic or traumatizing experience. . . but I still get the heebie jeebies.

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Want to know more about DeLaHaye? Visit her web site at WV Travelers , or her online store at Impecunious Impressions, or read her weekly column at The Calhoun Chronicle.