“Hello!” Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) at entrance to 65 State Street, Pittsford, Home of A Frog House. Photo Credit, Rob Corby.
Divine Intervention?
In Hindu mythology, the red hibiscus is the flower of the goddess Kali, helping mortals connect with the divine on a conscious level. Certainly it seemed divine that the thunder and rain on August 11 held off until almost 6 o’clock, when the Hindu god Indra sent lightening as well. Hopefully this was for the mythological purposes of illumination and the destruction of ignorance. At least those of us left to clean up by the fleeing crowds, enlightened or ignorant, got thoroughly drenched!
Second floor shot of the gathering crowds braving the gathering clouds. Photo Credit, Lindsay Graham.
Thank God Jordan Hollands had been able to pick up some extra tents at the last minute. We want to thank Amy and Justin Vliestra of Friends of Pittsford Village and Victoria and Jonathan Cloud of Possible Rochester for loaning us tables, chairs, and tents (and tablecloths from Victoria).
Jordan with his back toward you in charge of the prize, auction and raffle table. Photo Credit, Lindsay Graham.
Lindsay came down from upstairs to catch this shot. Jordan had done a lot of work beforehand as well to help me prepare the gardens and the set up, along with other volunteers, Sarah Bissonette Adler, Cathleen Brauen, Rob Corby, Katherine Denison, Matthew Fass, Aashwin Katiyar, and Helena Peng.
A Frog House raised $2464.47 for the Village Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary Vernal Ponds!
Cathleen Brauen, Board Member Treasurer, keeps track of each folk who comes, raffle tickets, auction items all on her own. Photo Credit, Unknown.
This means that we are at least a quarter of a way toward financing our first vernal pond in the Robert C. Corby Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary. At the bottom of this blog, you can see events and simply directly donate to become part of this exciting effort as well!
Here is Our Photo Journal
Steve Melcher on Melodica, Adam Wilcox, Bonnie Abrams on guitar and Matthew Fass on keyboard. Photo Credit, Rob Corby.
What would a party be without music? Matthew barely made it up from Kingston this year, as he had gotten an infection, but as part of the overall F.R.O.G. of it all, here were our musicians in full fiesta mode.
Lindsay Graham, calls for the crowd to gather. Photo Credit, Rob Corby.
A Frog House could never have done pulled this off without all the social media expertise and crowd attracting abilities of Car Pal Owner and Founder, Lindsay Graham. Lindsay likes to keep things moving along, so it was time to call for the Birthday Cake.
Rob Corby and left to right, Steve Geisler, board member Bonnie Garner, Jill Gruber and Barb Gibson. Photo Credit, Naveen Havanannar.
Robert Corby has traditionally carried the cake every single year since 2019, and the cake has been donated every year by Tops Markets, except last year, when Wegmans got into the act.
A delightful gift from Mimi Craig, identical to one I received from Eddie McCrae! Photo Credit Lindsay Graham
Mimi Craig broke the rules and sent a gift, but she was entitled, because she couldn’t get there to march with the cake, as she did in 2019.
Steve, Annika and Noah Brauksieck. Annika has been wearing that shirt since 2019! Photo Credit Rob Corby
This is the family of Kristen Thornton, not shown, who has been the most avid supporter of A Frog House who isn’t actually an advisor, employee, volunteer, or on the board, and yet she has given so much.
This group, brought by Katie Santelli, far right, was the best surprise ever! Photo Credit, Rob Corby
Everyone was so excited and happy about everything, and Lily, 6th on the right, was so proud to tell me how appropriate her name is for the occasion.
The group came at the beginning and stuck around to the end, and Lily won for her parents some raffled wine and glasses donated by Bonnie Abrams.
Sue Emmel, left, Donna Sliverman, right, flanking Gallea’s Florist and Greenhouse contribution for our auction. Photo Credit Lindsay Graham
In a way, Sue could be blamed for a lot of this. She was one of the first people I met in Pittsford after Lindsay moved here, and she said “you have to meet Rob Corby.” From that first brunch with Sue, Rob, Lindsay, and I, magic started to happen. Sue said she found her magic wand on the street while walking to the party.
Barb Gibson, first official member of A Frog House, and first donor to the Vernal Pond Project this year. Photo Credit, Lindsay Graham.
“Make New Friends, but Keep the Old! One is Silver and the Other Gold!”
Patty Love, owner and founder of Barefoot Ecological Design appreciates the piece of leaf with cicada eggs that Sue also found on her walk. Photo Credit, Lindsay Graham.
This is what Patty wrote to me: “It was lovely to spend the afternoon helping out and chatting with all the wonderful people. Happy birthday, my friend! I was glad to help. It was all easy stuff and I was working with nice people supporting a good cause. Thank you for appreciating my efforts! It was a good afternoon for me!”
Of course I appreciate her efforts! Patty helped Jordan set up the raffle, and for life long influence, she is the person responsible for designing the beautiful sustainable garden which you can see below.
East side garden in three short years, from tiny plants to at least 14 feet for some. Photo Credit, Patty Love.
Long story short, it was supposed to be a demonstration planting in the Robert C Corby Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary, but we ended up doing the program at 65 State Street in 2021.
Naveen Havannavar holding Polly the Perfect Poodle. Photo Credit, Lindsay Graham
Naveen has children of his own, but likes little. Very little. In fact, teeny. But clearly he loves a lot. That must be why he is supporting little tadpoles and eggs and damsel flies and such who will live in our future vernal pond. Faithful volunteer Sandra Kingston is in the background.
Left to right: Aashwin Katiyar, Eddie McRae, Adam Wilcox, Muhammad daughter, Saadiq Muhammad. Photo credit, Lindsay Graham.
This is what Aashwin wrote after the party: “Thank you so much for hosting such a wonderful party! It was very fun to be able to contribute to it and be a part of it, and I also loved how nice everyone was, it felt like one big, happy community. Thank you for making this event one of the best days of my life!! This will definitely be a core memory for me.”
Eddie is the one who also gave me the other delightful frog welcome sign. Now everyone knows they are welcome at both the front and back doors.
A friend of a friend from Penn Yan sits with Rob Corby to understand why we are putting in vernal ponds. Photo Credit Lindsay Graham.
This person was not satisfied with any answer about why we are putting in vernal ponds in the Arboretum until I told her it was because we don’t have any now. That was all she needed to know.
We just go fishing for people on the tow path and they find us! Photo credit Lindsay Graham.
Small world department. This couple was just biking by and decided to come up to see what was going on. It turns out that our former executive director, Maddie Ross (not shown) who had arrived with a lovely bouquet of yellow roses, had previously baby sat for them. We are really proud of Maddie, who now has a job at the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in Avon!
New friend Vera Rose and long time friend Diane Macchiavelli, in a really colorful snap shot. Photo Credit, Lindsay Graham.
There are those yellow roses I mentioned. Vera was very excited to later win another bouquet of flowers contributed by our friend Xingua Cui. Well, Matthew Fass’ partner Sarah Bissonette Adler won them, but gave them to Vera. That’s what A Frog House is all about: sharing our abundance and gratitude. But I kept the yellow roses for myself. Thank you Maddie.
Left to right: Bonnie Garner (teeny in blue) Shayne Hollands, Robin Moyle (totally typical expression) , Vera Rose, and Donna Payne, Photo Credit Lindsay Graham.
“Good bye everyone and thank you.” Native plants along the top edge of the hill to the Tow Path. Photo Credit, Rob Corby.
Hopefully next year we will be celebrating the our Seventh Annual Froggy Family Fun(d)raiser Birthday PartyRobert C. Corby Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary Vernal Ponds and admiring aquatic and wetland loving plants contributed by our many talented gardeners locally, represented in The Pittsford Garden Club, Color Pittsford Green, Healthy Yards Monroe County, and others.
Save These Dates!
September 24, 7 pm Pittsford Village Hall, with zoom access, Wetland expert Thomas Biebighauser presentation on the Wetland Habitat Improvement Project designed in April of 2024.
November 9, 7 to 10 pm The Century Club A Frog House Second Annual Gala. Fundraiser for Vernal Ponds. Broadway stars Carole Demas and Ian Herman in a musical production by Stuart Allyn.
April 25, 2025. all day. Robert C. Corby Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary. Seventeenth Annual (Pittsford’s 7th) Save The Frogs Day with Thomas Biebighauser. We’ll be able to build one vernal pond each day, with the actual number depending on how much we raise, for $8,000 per pond. Community wide participation.
August 10, 2025. A Frog House. Seventh Annual Froggy Family Fun(d)raiser Birthday Party.
And isn’t that enough for one year?
