Change: Interlopers and Natives

Northern Peeper

I discovered that the silvery brown-eyed frogs that I find tucked into all sorts of places around here are not "exotic" but indigenous to Florida.  I understand that Florida is second only to Hawaii in the number of invasive species that have taken up residence--many times pushing out the original insects, plants, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, trees, bushes . . . 

Actually, Hawaii has one of the highest (if not the highest) number of species that have become extinct since 1900 . . . not much room in the first place, too many people want to live there and they bring with them (on purpose and by accident) things that changed the island forever.

Every moment things change.  My three toddlers grew into adults.  We moved from Utah to Iowa to Texas to Florida to Texas to Argentina to Texas to Missouri to Florida.  My mother died. My dad retired and started his own company--which now produces the most popular tongue cleaner in the entire world. I gained 30 pounds and lost 40.  I cut my hair off and it is long again.  I bought a mare in Argentina and we brought her back to the United States with us--I was going to ride her until we both grew too old. My body got too old too fast and I have not been able to ride any horse for over a dozen years.  We bought a home that had fruit trees: orange, lime, pink grapefruit and avocado . . . and they are all gone now.  I got a Master's degree in English--and now I take classes in horticulture and calculus.  

But some things have not changed yet.  Northern Peeper frogs continue show up in all sorts of surprising places.  I still have three children--and gained two grandchildren.  I live in a house that I love with a man whom I love even more.  He says that he loves me and cherishes me more and more each year.  I still want to ride horses.  I have always loved to swim--and that is still true.

Someday I will have a perfected, resurrected body and I will not have time rush me forward through each change.  I will ride horses.  I will be in love even more with my husband.  I will understand water and air and space and how the eternities progress. 

Swimming tonight with two of my children who are now all grown up.

For now I will continue to grow old and to plant new trees and be with my children--who are adults but will always be my children.  I will work at learning how to capture the world that is changing all around me through the lens of my camera.  

I will write about the things that change and the things that stay the same.

I will find Northern Peepers tucked into odd and unexpected places.