MOTW - Aug 25 - Sep 3 2013 - Gail (Kueluck)

[kueluck]

OK folks, I'm 53 years old so we got several years to cover. Grab your favorite drink, reading glasses and here we go.

I was born in Chilton WI 5-17-60. It's a farming community, so I'm really just a small town girl and like it that way. Big cities make my head hurt with all the noise and the masses of people, keep it simple is my way of life. As a kid I was a tom-boy, climbing trees, going up ladders then jumping off the garage roof, looking for critters of any kind as long as it had 4 legs or less, just playing in dirt and having a blast at it. As a young girl my Daddy (who passed away when I was 11) would take me trapping with him to gather the furs, go on trips to the swamp to find the good deer hunting sites, and fishing at the fair grounds and out on lake Winnebago. I LOVE a good fish fry in WI as long as it's fresh perch. MMMMMMM. And during the winter let’s not forget those wonderful weekends taking the snow mobiles out and riding the trails and zipping across the frozen lake.

As a teen things really didn't change much. Hiking, camping and looking for critters once again played a big part in my life. Short story, well maybe not so short. I must have been 13 or so, but I was riding my bike around town and saw some boys poking a stick at something. When I checked it out it was a rat. I biked home, got a box and “saved” the rat from the boys torture, while doing so one of the boys got bit. Served him right thought this 13 year old girl. Well I brought the rat home, which moved kinda slow and didn't really look all that healthy, but what does a 13 year old know. So I let it go under the house. Well the next thing you know is there's a cop at the house cause the boy ratted, get it, “ratted” on me about being bit and me bringing the rat home. Let’s just say that back in the day parents didn't have “time out”, corporal punishment was put into place. Lesson learned, next time someone gets bit by my rescue, eliminate the one who's doing the torturous act.

OK, so at 16 I started to date in high school and married my high school sweetheart when I was 19. LOL Now that was a big mistake, but after 6 years of marriage (if you can call it that) I woke up and declared that I will not tolerate the abuse and got out, and get out I did. After the divorce I went shopping, saw a really cute outfit on a poster. The poster was at the United States Navy recruiting office. Why not? I'm single, no ties, what have I got to lose.

Age 25 I joined the USN and loved it!! Something I recommend every one, and I mean everyone should do. Finish high school, then join the armed services, then if you choose college so be it or continue to serve in the greatest military in the world. While serving in Alaska on a small island called Adak (closer to Russia than US soil) I met my soul-mate TJ. We did 3.5 years in Alaska,(I got out after 4 years since our rates conflicted and I didn't want to be seperated),then a few more years in Washington State. Our government decided to do away with his job (he was a WT Weapons Technician) and at that point there was nothing else he wanted to do. So we took the money and moved to NC (his home state). Back then we loved going to the State Parks in WA. This state is so beautiful and we miss it bunches. Especially when it gets over 90 degrees here in NC. I hate hot weather.

As of today, I still love the outdoors, hiking, kayaking, working in the yard, camping & looking for critters. Building snake cages, and putting together vivs give me great pleasure. I also enjoy a glass of wine now and then, and my favorite is Native Vine in Lexington NC, also enjoy the Slightly Askewed in Elkin NC. I love comedy movies & love to laugh. That’s why I married TJ, he makes me laugh a lot. Sometimes without even trying. I'm going on 26 years with the same wonderful man I met in Alaska, and if I could clone him, I would be a multimillionaire. He's IS the perfect husband. I’m also going on 15 years of employment with a promotional products company as their credit manager. The owner calls me the bulldog because I don't back down to those who slack in paying their invoices. He once heard me say “I'm so sorry to hear about the passing of your wife...........but when can I expect payment on this invoice”. Some may say this is cold-hearted, but it's my job and I plan on keeping it.

I'm not a big socializer, my friends are few and I can count them on one hand, but they are for life. My BFF is my husband TJ and I wish more wives could say the same thing. My friend and neighbor is crazy. Certifiable? Maybe, but she's a real hoot to be with & it's nice having a friend live right next door tat shares the same love of critters.
Life accomplishments? Noble Peace-prize. NOT. Published writings. NOPE. Recorded music or video. Does YouTube count? But, I have served my country and stand behind all the rights of the Constitution, I support Christian organizations, have not received a parking ticket, moving violation or been in jail, I get along with family and in-laws, and love myself so others can also.

And the most important thing is my life is Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior and if you don't know him, you REALLY should check Him out. We have been to Haiti for missions and helped with Operation Blessings after Katrina hit in LA, and seeing the things my Savior can do is amazing.

[Mentat]

Thanks for sharing your story and having served in the USN Gail ! Got couple laughs reading about the rat, parking tickets, and certifiable neighbor !

[Jenste]

Tuesday, tell us about your amphibians. How you came to keep them, mistakes/learning curves, species kept, breedings, how you found Frog Forum etc....we heard enough about you on Monday, let us hear about them frogs!

[kueluck]

I have loved frogs, toads & salamanders for as long as I can remember. Also love the lizards, turtles, snakes & most fuzzies but those are other forums. Here's a few short moments of childhood memories.

First trip to the swamp, got out of the car and the ground moved. It was covered in tiny toads and wood frogs. Mom - “don't touch them, they'll give you warts. Daddy - “it's OK, you can pick them up”, this went back and forth for several minutes. I think they did this so I wouldn't try to bring home a car full of frogs & toads. It didn't work.

As a young kid I remember finding two toads in amplexus, and I asked my Daddy what was going on, he said they were giving a piggy back rides.

I went down to the stream and caught about 25 bull frogs, put them in an old aquarium for the day, watched them for a while then let them go. When my Daddy got home and heard about this he said, “show me where”. So we headed back down to the stream to catch some, but didn't find a single one. Good thing we didn't, he planned on eating them. I was a very disappointed little girl.

When married in WI I would take a bucket and collect the toads in the yard as I mowed, the X would not allow me to have them in the house, so they were my outside buddies.

No amphibians on Adak AK. Sad years of my life.

In NC there is an abundance of amphibians here, and I love it. How did I get to where I am now with them you ask? Well back in early summer 2011 my neighbor was on vacation and I was watching her cats and home. I looked into the rain barrel and there were tons, and I mean tons of tadpoles. She thought they were mosquito larva. So I gathered up a few a tads (50) and talked TJ into getting a set up. $60.00 later we have a 10 gallon set up for 50 tads. Long story short. Cope's Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis), 3 tads didn't make it, and once fully morphed all but 3 were released. Now we hear them calling all summer long. The 3 I had kept were also released the next year. They were always looking of a way out. As for my toads, I would go down to the pond and collect tiny toadlets, raise them up to a good size then release them back into the wild. Figure it might give them a fighting chance to survive. Plus I've kept a few, but then also released some adults. If they come out at night and are constantly looking for a way out I release them back into the wild. To me this says they are not happy with their surroundings. But if they just kinda hang out on the logs and watch the world go by, eat when something crawls by them, or check out the food dish, and don't hunker down when I put my hand in, then they are keepers. I had my original tank set up with just plants growing and thought, this needs something else. I was going to put a praying mantis in it, but then I saw the AGTF and said, perfect. The Whites Tree Frog's came to be because of reading the threads on FF. Hetfield is the one who really peaked my interest in them. He was a loved little frog and I just hope mine are around as long as he was.

Did you know that all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. I read this on the internet when searching frog care so it MUST to true.

In keeping my frogs, I try to keep it as close as possible to their natural environment. I use rainwater only, buy moss from Josh's Frogs and my roaches come from Feeder Source. I also feed moths, wax worms, butter worms & crickets. I'm going to start using fruit flies for the AGTF, Vern seems to love the tiny things on the glass. All of the frogs/toads are good eaters, poopers, shedders and soakers. I'm truly blessed with a pretty healthy group of amphibians.

[kueluck]

Happy you got a few laughs outta this. To much sadness & anger in the world. Make one person laugh a day to make it a successful one.

Thanks for sharing your story and having served in the USN Gail ! Got couple laughs reading about the rat, parking tickets, and certifiable neighbor !

[Mentat]

Thanks for interesting reads Gail! I like your way of deciding between releasers and keepers, very logical . Hum, you did not come across any frogs in Alaska? They do have few of them: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/ed..._and_toads.pdf . Wood frogs can actually freeze their body and thaw themselves out as weather conditions change to survive Winter !

[Jenste]

Hi Gail! Very interesting read so far! and I completely agree - any day where I can make someone else laugh or smile is a success to me also!!

I hope you don't mind, I am posting tomorrow's heading a few hours early as I have a hectic morning coming up and I don't want to run out of time! Especially considering this is one of the most favorite parts of MOTW!


Wednesday, show and tell. Wow us with your pictures/videos/sound clips.

[kueluck]

I'm not going to post captions next to the pic, just their living space, then the critter. All critters are now in my care except the Cope's. They were released last fall. The people, well that's just me and TJ. Here ya go.

[kueluck]

Flickr: The Hills of NC's Photostream here's the link to my Flickr site if you want to check out more of our pics

Living room 2013 - YouTube and here's a video of our "living" room.

[kueluck]

We were stationed on a small island out in the aleutian chain, no reptiles or amphibians.

Thanks for interesting reads Gail! I like your way of deciding between releasers and keepers, very logical . Hum, you did not come across any frogs in Alaska? They do have few of them: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/ed..._and_toads.pdf . Wood frogs can actually freeze their body and thaw themselves out as weather conditions change to survive Winter !