Alphabet Series

My son has a love affair with frogs and toads for as far back as I can remember.  He is particularly fond of toads, but is totally loving it that our small pond out back is host to 4 different frogs.   Ergo when I was contemplating what to do for the letter f…I automatically thought about frogs.

I thought about talking about the common frogs we have in the backyard… and was fully intending to research the life out of them…until I ran into this one small fact…

Frogs, frogs, frogs, Canada has frogs.   LOTS AND LOTS OF FROGS.

Including this funny fact.  We are host to two small populations of TAILED frogs.   Can you believe it?  A frog that has a tail.. and CANADA has TWO populations of slightly different types of them.

I was stoked!!   I just LOVE learning new things… don’t you?

Anyways, on to this amazing little critter.

The Tailed Frog is a remarkable little frog, unique to B.C. in Canada. It is a
small frog, 2.5 to 3 centimetres from nose to rump…..Tailed Frogs have vertical pupils, no external
tympanum (the round “ear” visible on other frogs), and are voiceless. (source)

Originally this little frog was simple called the tailed frog, but in the year 2000, it was split into two species. The first, the coastal species
is called the Pacific Tailed Frog(Ascaphus truei).  The second is called the Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog (Ascaphus montanus).

Both of these frogs live in very small areas of British Columbia, as well as in select area of the United States.  They live in fast flowing streams.  Their population densities are low and believed to be declining since so few of the rivers in the areas they reside are suitable for reproduction.

These two frogs are very close in colouration and needs, they can’t handle temperatures above 20 Celsius. Cold fast flowing, small streaming with an abundance of small micro-climates are just what these frogs need.

They are a long lived frog, juveniles staying close to home but 4-7 year old frogs dispersing widely from their point of birth.  A long incubation period for the eggs, combined with reproducing every other year, and the loss of old growth forests is contributing to their decline.

Both sub-species are protected under the British Columbia Wildlife act, making it illegal to own, trap or kill any member of the species.

Where did I find my information?
Frogwatch.
Canadian BioDiversity.
Image.
Sararegistry for Rocky tailed.
Sararegistry for coastal.
Wikipedia.
British Columbia Frogwatch.

Now just so you know.. Canada has a WHOLE whack of other frogs.  From Spadefoots, spring peepers, tree frogs, bullfrogs, leopard and green frogs, pickerel frogs, cricket and chorus frogs, and so many more.  Check them out eh?  It’s a fascinating wet world to explore.  🙂

You can find out more here.

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Welcome to week “C” of blogging through the alphabet.  I am so happy you are joining us today.

Today I am going to talk to you about our national anthem “O Canada”.   The C being the C from Canada or if you wish Chant National as it was originally known.  🙂

Did you know that O Canada was originally called “Chant national”?   Our anthem was written by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier, in Quebec City, with musical composter Calixa Lavallee.   Originally written in French, it was first performed on June 24, 1880.

It was sung widely in French but the English versions varied widely for quite a few years, partly due to the translation from French into English, until the version written in 1908 by Robert Stanley Weir became popular.  It is very similar to the verses we use today.

“O Canada” was approved as our national anthem on March 15, 1967, but the current version wasn’t officially approved until June 27, 1980 under the National Anthem Act.

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land, glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee;
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow,
Great prairies spread and Lordly rivers flow!
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western sea!
The land of hope for all who toil,
The true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies,
May Stalwart sons, and gentle maidens rise.
To keep thee steadfast thro’ the years,
From East to Western sea.
Our own beloved native land,
Our true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our Dominion, in thy loving care.
Help us to find, O God, in thee,
A lasting rich reward.
As waiting for the better day,
We ever stand on guard.
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

I have to admit, most of the time we only sing the first verse, sometimes the second and very rarely the last two.  I don’t know why that is, but it is what it is eh?  🙂

But it’s our national song and we love it.  It’s easy to sing, rolls easily off the tongue, and inspires the lot of us to rise to our feet.  I’m assuming your national anthem helps you do that too!  🙂

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