After what turned out to be a dreadful weekend, I am happy that Monday has rolled around and I'm back to work. I won't bore  you with all of the problems I had, but I will say that it is time for me to take stock of what I have...not of the things that I don't. 
I am very grateful, of course, for family and friends; food and shelter; but the one thing I most-often over look, is water. I am really, really thankful to have an abundance of clean, fresh water to drink and swim in. Not everybody (and many frogs) aren't as fortunate. Did you know that 85% of the world's population live in the driest half of our planet? And approximately 663 million humans don't have access to clean water; that's 1 in 10 people. YIKES! I don't know about you, but I find those facts staggering and a bit hard to digest. The water crisis is the #1 global risk on impact to society. There are several several groups that I know of, personally, that are working to help correct this devastating problem. Aveda is a hair care product line generously supports many earth-friendly products, including water. Their 2015 Earth Month slogan was, "When you protect water, you protect what you love; animals, kids, environment - everything." And they're so right! My other, favorite group that helps give kids in Africa the everyday basic needs of food, shelter, and clean water (and lots more) is Kid's Better World. Now that the holiday season is officially in full-swing, I hope you'll support these two, wonderful organizations...and other just like them. Without water, we have nothing.
http://www.kidsbetterworld.com/
http://www.aveda.com/index.tmpl
Here are the links directly to their sites. Enjoy the week ahead. 
​Time for me to get hoppin' See you all tomorrow!

Webster's Dictionary defines the word "gratefulness" as feeling or showing thanks; expressing gratitude; and affording pleasure or contentment. But I think it's far more than that. For me, gratefulness or gratitude means being content with all that I have; not wantinging something else, but wanting what I have...and appreciating how lucky I am to have it. There are so many frogs these days who are in distress; disease is rampant, polluted water is common, habitats are being destoyed at an alarming rate; extinction is becoming more the rule than the exception. Of course, there are many humans living in bad conditions, too. Fear is everwhere. Unrest is a daily fact of life. There is a shortage of nourishing food and clean water. And, it seems, children suffer the most. When I look at my life, I know exactly how lucky I am. I have plenty of food and abundant clean water. My family is loving and supportive. I have great friends who are always there for me...in good times and in bad. I am robust and strong. I am grateful for so much this Thanksgiving that my "cup runneth over." The best way to express that plethora of gratitude is to pay it forward. There are so many people...and critters...in need this time of year. I hope you will find your own special way to express your thanks this holiday and donate time and/or money to your favorite cause. A few of my favorite's are: 
http://frogsaregreen.org/
http://www.savethefrogs.com/
https://www.facebook.com/mylittlepython/ (and don't forget, if you purchase our book, "What About Snakes," available on Amazon, the profits from each sale goes to help the snakes.)
Whatever you choose to do to share your gratefulness, do it with all your heart.
Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us in the Wart family.
​

Thanksgiving week is always full of hustle and bustle at the Wart house. Mom is busy preparing all of her special bug and worm dishes, while Grandma is baking up her froga-licious shoo-fly pie. Little Quigley, Jr. has already begun writing letters to Santa Frog asking for all the latest and greatest froglet toys. I noticed over the weekend that Christmas decorations have suddenly appeared and WLLP, Land of Lily Pad's radio station, is now playing holiday music 24/7. Personally, it's a bit too soon. I like to separate out my holidays, but these days it seems that Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas have all become one big party. I suspect that the retail buisinesses are behind it. I'm not anti-gift giving, but I do believe that holidays have become way too commercialized. We've lost sight of the importance of Thanksgiving...as a time for appreciating all of the good things that we have in life; family, friends, and delicious and bountiful food. Now it's just a hurry-up-and-eat-so-we-can-go-shopping kind of day; a kind of brief pit-stop before the "official" start of Christmas. And as for the true meaning of Christmas, well, don't even get me started!
​Today will be an ordinary work day for me, as will tomorrow...but them I'm off to spend a few glorious days with the frogs I love most...my family!

It's been a long, emotional week for me and I am so happy that Friday is finally here. I can kick back, put my flippers up, and simply watch the world go by. That's not to say that I have nothing to do. I can always find projects to work on...either writing projects or tidying up around the lily pad. But this week-end, I'm putting all the chores aside. They'll still be there come Monday. This will be my "calm before the storm," so-to-croak. With the holidays just around the corner, I'll have plenty to do over the next month or so and I will, no doubt, have no time for rest and relaxation. The weather is beautiful, too; sunny and unusually warm, with a cloudless sky above. It's good to be alive! I've got books to read, bugs to munch on, and I'm turning off my cell phone. No worries. No cares. It's me time...and I really need it. I like to treat myself to an "unplugged' weekend every now and again. It recharges my batteries. And we all need that. I hope that whatever your plans are on this last weekend before the holiday rush, you'll take time for R and R; take a bubble bath, go for a leisurely walk, catch up on your reading...anything that helps you to feel peaceful. And try to shut off the phone and computer...even if it's only for a couple of hours. The world will still be here when you turn it back on.
Have a wonderful, restful weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

It may seems, these days, I keep ribbitting the same old song. Perhaps I am. But it's song worth singing; the song of friendship. Friends are awesome. They stand by us when we're at our absolute worst and they love us even when we may not love ourselves. Do you remember your childhood friends? Are you still in contact with any of them? My human "auntie" has friends she's known since she was in grade school. I admire that. Most of the tadpoles I knew in school have long since swum away from Lilly Pad. I think of them fondly and wish them well. Nowadays, we have countless friends, but they are mostly virtual. Many are people we've never actually met. We seem to be loosing our personal connections..those that we actually meet up with and do things with. The bonds of friendship are deep; sometimes they're stronger and more secure than our family ties. We make friends in our neighborhoods, in school, at work, at our place of worship, and in the clubs and groups we join. Friendships help to make us feel a part of something bigger. And the collective is always stronger than the individual. It reminds me of the old proverb, "Birds of a feather stick together." It's so true. We tend to hang out with those that think like we do, enjoy the same lifestyle as us, or have the same religious beliefs. Perhaps we can, and maybe should, branch out and seek others..those that are a little different from us. Dare I say, maybe even our enemies? In these troubled times, it is scary to think of doing that but it could just be what the world needs. Abraham Lincoln once said this about friendship, "Do I not destroymy enemies when I make them my frinds?" At least hink about it. It is Thoughful Thursday, after all. Mr. Lincoln knew a little something about hate and discontent. And if he could believe that friends can be found in our enemies, can't we do the same?

Fear. We all have one thing or another that scares us. That fight-or-flight sensation can, at the appropriate time, be a really good thing. It can save our life. Take me for example; I'm afraid of snakes...and I should be. Most of them eat little frogs. But, at other times, fear can stop us from acheiving our goals...or even finding love and friendship. Fear causes stress which we all know is harmful in so many ways. Hate is just fear. We tend to hate things that are unknown to us. Human kids say that they hate broccoli. Has broccoli ever hurt them? Probably not. They don't want to try it because it's something new to them, so they just say they hate it and won't even give it a try. It's safer that that...
I recently went out on a limb (and no, I'm not a tree frog...) and got to know a couple of snakes who turned out to be more like me than I ever imagined. We are both trying to teach children. We may have different messages, but the idea is the same. And that is to instill less fear in children and open their minds to new things. Now, these smae snakes are some of my best friends. if I had let fear guide me, I'd have missed out on meeting them.  My chef friend, Coqui the Frog, teaches kids how to cook and to eat healthy, nutrishous foods that they might not otherwise even consider...like broccoli. But what if adults got brave and tried new things, too? Why should the kiddos have all the fun? Just imagine the great things that humans could accomplish if they just put aside their fears and hatred, even for just one day. Much of the discontent we see in the world would fade away. When we let fear run our lives, we run the risk of not living life to the fullest. Sure, we may feel safer but nothing great or amazing ever came out of playing it safe. There would be no heroes if no one stepped out of their comfort zone. I, for one, am making the pledge to live my life in a place of love, rather than fear. I'll still be careful of things that I know can hurt me, but I won't automatically assume that something, or someone, is bad until I assess the the situation that is presently at hand...or flipper, in my case. from now on, I will be brave. I will be a super hero, even if it's only to myself. Love is a much nicer, brighter place to live. The land of fear is dark, scary, and uncertain. And who would choose to to live there once they know they can pack up their suitcase and move to a better place. As they say in the real estate biz, it's  all about the "location, location, location."

"The sun will come out tomorrow..." are lyrics from the song sung by a plucky little red-haired girl, named Annie. Today, I know exactly what she means. It's been a tough few days and, to make matters worse, it's been raining cats and frogs! However, tomorrow's weather forecast is for sunny skies and that something to look forward to. Normally, I wouldn't complain about all this wet. I mean, as a frog, I love water, but enough is enough, already! I woke up this morning feeling like I wanted to start looking for my next inspired activity, but this inclement weather isn't doing much to get my creative juices flowing. The cold and damp just makes me want to huddle in my blanket next to a roaring and warming fire; perhaps with a nice cup of hot tea...or, maybe, a big 'ol mug of spiced swamp water. Either way, I'm going to put off making any decisions regarding my next artisitc project, at least until the skies return to blue. I find it difficult to do much when the weather is "off". But,  I must admit, this is a great time for thinking about tomorrow and what direction I want to go in as a writer. In the meantime, though, I'll take this opportunity to enjoy being all snuggled up with a good book, and my warm, soothing beverage. I always try to be grateful for every day, despite any challenges I have to face, like the weather. And today won't be any different. I'll enjoy my time indoors, just being here and being fully alive. I have faith that the sun will truly come out tomorrow and will warm not only my body, but my mind and spirit, as well. I can already feel that river of creativity begining to flow...
On a grander scale, the Annie song means more than a mere change in atmospheric pressure. It gives us faith in a future that is better and brighter. Let's hope she's right on both counts. 

I was out dancing, having a great time with friends, when I heard about the horrific news in Paris. I thought about it, and realized that the victims were just like me...out on a Friday night, having a great time with friends, in a beautiful city. Any tragic event, no matter where it happens, usually causes the rest of us to take stock of our life and of our beliefs. Immediately after hearing the news, I have to admit, that I got angry. How could such a thing happen? Who were the idiots responsible for this heinous crime? I demanded swift justice for the victims. Anybody who really knows me, knows that I'm not really like that. I'm the frog who practices love, compassion, and forgiveness. Wasn't I? I was beginning to doubt my core belief that all living creatures are one...at least under the skin. The thought that I might not really blieve that, terrified me. It's something I've long-held to be the absolute truth. So I stopped and sat quietly...waiting for the answer to come. And come it did. Like a lightning bolt. My beliefs weren't changing. What was happening is that I was reacting to devastating news, instead of going inward and acting from that core place of love. Coming from THAT place made me no better than the terrorists, After all, isn't that what they were thinking? I don't condone what happened and I sure don't understand it. But what I do know is that there are approximately 7.3 billion humans (and countless frogs) on Planet Earth, and most of them are pretty good people. I find that a comforting thought. The news rarely tells us about all the wonderful things that happen daily. And we never hear about average families, in far away countries (the ones just like yours and mine) that struggle everyday to pay their bills, feed their children, and make a good life for their loved ones. They have friends, practice their religious beliebs and, generally, want exactly the same things that we all want; a peaceful, pleasant life. In other words, they go about their business and never ever think about killing someone who believes differently or has a different lifestyle. For things to really and truly improve, we must go from an "us vs. them" attitude to "we are all one." It won't be easy, especially in light of recent events, but we can do it. And we must. Our future depends on it. No matter what someone looks like. No matter the color of their skin or their personal beliefs, lets try to think of everyone as a brother...a beloved member of our family here on earth. Peace.

Yesterday, I had to run errands. I'm not crazy about this chore, but it's something that needs to be done...at least once a week. After I got back home and settled down for the evening, I began to wonder why I was feeling so stressed out. I hadn't really done all that much. Then it hit me. I'd spent nearly the entire day being upset and angry. In hindsight, these upsetting incidents were just that; incidents. They weren't life-threatening or life-altering. They were all just small little annoyances that I let get under my skin; getting cut off in traffic, having to wait in long check-out lines, and sales staff that grunted and pointed when asked a simple question. So why, exactly, was I letting these things bother me so? I think it's because they were all circusmstances that I couldn't control. Let's face it. We all like everything to be in nice, neat packages...just the way WE like like them to be. Do we ever stop to think that the guy who cut us off was on his way to the hospital? Or that the grumpy sales clerk might be having a bad day? This happens to all of us. We all act inappropriately from time-to-time. We arent thinking about others. No. We're only thinking about our own problems. It's not that we're selfish, really. It's more that we are all becoming "islands unto ourselves." The wonderful Mohandas K. Ghandi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." How true! And not just for the big things,either. We can use this message to help with our daily irritations, as well. Just imagine coming home after a long day "out in the world" and feeling relaxed and happy instead of stressed and angry. We're never going to see everyone happy at the same time that we're out doing our thing, so why not simply change our attiude towards them? We can be polite and relaxed and at-ease, no matter where we or what life throws our way. The great thing about attitudes, is that they can be changed. When we're nice and kind and compassionate to others, it spreads; making everybody's day a little better...not just our own.
Enjoy your weekend. Be safe. And I'll see back here on Monday!

The other day, one of my friends came up to me and said he was feeling a little down. When I asked him why, he told me that He felt he wasn't good enough, tall enough, smart enough....etc. I know for a fact that none of these things are true, but I went on and asked him why he thought these things about himself. I was very curious. His answer didn't surprise me at all. He didn't look like all the other frogs on TV and in the magazines. In his opinion, they were all younger, more attractive, wittier, and certainly smarter...
In the US, this has become a real issue, especially for young girls who are starving themselves to look like the models and celebrities they see on television and in the fashion magazines. Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor...many years ago... is quote as saying, "A woman can neither be too rich or too thin." So this isn't a new problem, by any means. The issue is worldwide, too, and even the French are beginning to take action. Recently, the French government made it illegal for designers and companies to hire models that weigh under a certain amount...what they consider to be an unhealthy weight. This is really good news and a law that every country would be wise to pass. Still, children (and many adults) need reinforncement from their friends and family that they are wonderful and loved, as is. Each of us is born to be who we are; that's not to say that we can't improve our minds or our health and physical fitness, but all that extra stuff isn't necessary at all. Our face and body are what they were meant to be and, if we take care of them through diet, excercise, and being positive, they will last us a long time. Nature/Universe knows what they're doing...they've been at it good awhile, so who are we to say they messed something up? We are each, in our own way, perfectly perfect just as we are. It's one less thing we need to concern ourselves with. Isn't that a big relief?
​