One of the most glorious sounds you’ll hear this time of year starts each day late in the afternoon: the peepers! They’re the little frogs gathering in the many vernal pools all around the area. Their collective chirruping creates a constant pitch, if a little out of tune. That high-pitched drone is the mating call of the males trying to attract females. They make the sound by closing up their nostrils and forcing air into a big bubble under their chins, as the air escapes the bubble, it passes over the frog’s vocal cords and out the opened nostrils, creating that seasonal chirping sound. And lots of these chirps at once create the most recognizable chorus of spring.
Did you know these little frogs can freeze? Some nights, you may have noticed that the temperatures get pretty cold, enough to freeze puddles and pools. What happens to the frogs? They survive! They’re tough little guys. In fact, 70% of their bodies can freeze, enough to stop their breathing and their little hearts even. All they need is a little time to thaw out before they’re back at it, singing for the season! Unitarian Universalists particularly love the peepers because when we hear them, we just about automatically say, “Wow!” That, right there, is the awe and wonder part about being human that we celebrate!
Religious Education Schedule:
April 29: Religious Education classes
May 6: Religious Education classes
May 13: Mother’s Day multi-generational Worship Service. Children and Youth are invited to join the adults for a special service to observe Mother’s Day. The SUUS Orchestra is scheduled to play. Are you a musician? Do you want to join the band? Let me know…
May 20: Religious Education classes resume
May 27: Memorial Day weekend. There will be a special organized activity for those children who come to church.
June 3: Religious Education classes
June 10: Church on the Beach!
June 17: Last day of Religious Education classes for 2017-18
Warm Regards,
Nate Pawelek, DLRE