Back in the day, lawn ornaments consisted of concrete birdbaths, plastic pinwheels and a little painted concrete jockey dressed in his red and white silks. On the other side of the tracks you might find a yard with pink flamingos, a row of old tires painted white, and for some, a rusting heap of metal that used to be a vintage automobile but broke down and became a “yard car.”

Well, these days, in my neighborhood, everyone is busy planting fancy shrubs and exotic bushes, sticking solar lights in a row across the front or along the walkway, and sticking a variety of different figures in their yard. The lady next door has a 2 foot concrete monk in a long robe, praying. The guy across the street has 5 plastic Canadian geese decoys, permanently planted in the yard as if they were in a corn field, feeding and gathering for their migration.

I’ve decided to put out a variety of critters, with an emphasis on frogs. I’m just starting my collection – we’ll see what cute little froggies I can find while I’m out shopping these next several weekends.