The Up Side of Falling Backward

Autumn’s cooler weather lures me outside like no other time of year, especially with the lower risk of insect bites. I decided to take advantage after my husband had gone to bed the other evening. Taking along my iPod speaker, I sat chilling to music and playing digital solitaire.

Unbeknownst to me, my patio seat’s legs shifted to the edge as I ‘chair danced’. In one breathless moment I went from relaxing upright to staring at the branches of my crabapple tree overhead. Thank heaven nobody witnessed it. Of this I’m quite sure, as no laughter rang out along the windswept street.

It took me several moments to compose myself before crawling off my overturned chair lying atop our coiled garden hose. That probably cushioned my landing somewhat. While my upper arms and hip are a bit sore, the spots aren’t showing bruises. What a blessing I didn’t hit my head on the brick wall, faucet, or even lose my eyeglasses. They did fly off the top of my head, but with a short flashlight search those spectacles turned up.

Best of all, so did a delightful animal surprise. At first I thought a large earthworm crawled onto an unused plastic chair tucked near the weeping crabapple’s tree trunk. But how? Then I noticed tiny legs. Knowing Ohio has salamanders and seeing one are two very different things. Alas, I was too shocked to grab my iPod Touch for a photo. The one below is courtesy of the Wildherps website.

This little guy might be a different species, though the description fits here. I think the tiny creature was stunned as me at our introduction.

Can you believe there is an aquatic species known as the Eastern Hellbender? Have you ever seen a wild salamander?

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