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You are here: Home / Archives for Inspired by nature

Inspired by nature

Froglife’s Frogloaf Recipe

September 21, 2020 by admin

Tag us in your pictures of your amphibian or reptile inspired baking on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtags #Frogbread #GBBO

In light of the return of Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off, We’ve had a go at our own ‘frogloaf’. Recipe below!

Ingredients:

  • 600g plain strong bread flour
  • 1 heaped tsp dried yeast
  • 2 tsp salt
  • Two handfuls of spinach (optional for green colour)

Method:

  1. Wash and cook the spinach in a pan on a low heat, with the lid on. Once it is fully wilted and soft, use a blender to make a paste. Leave this to cool.
  2. Combine the flour, salt, yeast and 300ml of tepid water. Check the yeast packet as some kinds need activating in water. Next add the spinach paste. Mix the dough with a spoon. It should be soft and springy, not too wet and sticky, and not too dry. Add a little more flour or water as needed to achieve this.
  3. Knead this mixture for around 5-6 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, and leave it to prove in the mixing bowl until roughly doubled in size (2-3 hours).
  4. Turn this out and knead again for a few minutes. Cut the dough into two – around 2/3 to make the body, and 1/3 to make the eyes and legs.
  5. On a baking sheet on a large tray, shape the body into an egg shape. The fatter end will form the frog’s face. Shape the smaller dough ball into two back legs, two front legs, and two eyes. It’s important that these stick well to the body, some water can help here. 
  6. We also used two olives to make eyes.
  7. Leave the frog to prove until doubled again in size (around 30-60 minutes), under an oiled piece of clingfilm.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven on high, for around 20 minutes.
  9. Introduce your new frog friend to your pond (optional)

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: baking, Croaks, Frog, Inspired by nature

Why I love Snakes! – A poem

June 12, 2020 by admin

Adder, smooth or grass snake by name,
Our native snakes are not all the same.

The adder’s stylish zig-zags black

Make a splash along its back.
The smooth snake, who is rare to find

Has smoother scales than the other kinds.

The grass snake is the last of the three,
They love to swim – it’s a sight to see!

Snakes may have a difficult time,
But seeing one is just sublime!

Poem written and shared with us by Bethan Davies 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: adder, Grass snake, Inspired by nature, poem, smooth snake, snake, Snakes

Inspired By Nature: A Poem of Return

July 18, 2018 by editor

Inspired by Nature: A Poem of Return

Froglife’s Communications & Fundraising Officer, Ashlea Mawby,  felt inspired by the work she does here at Froglife and wrote this poem.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Croaks, Inspired by nature, poem, Poetry, Wildlife

Inspired By Nature: Ode to Toad by Robert Cox

March 26, 2018 by editor

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: croak, Inspired by nature, Poetry, Toad, Toads on Roads

Inspired by Nature: A Farewell Poem

October 26, 2017 by editor

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Green Pathways, Inspired by nature, Poetry, traineeship

Inspired by Nature: Frogs and Toads!

February 27, 2017 by editor

Froglife Volunteer and Wildlife Artist, Samantha Marais, has chosen to share her beautiful drawings of the UK’s Frog and Toad species with us.

Common Frog (Rana temporaria)

Rana temporaria - S. Marais

The Common Frog is easily our most recognisable amphibian. They’re found throughout Britain and Ireland, in almost any habitat where suitable breeding ponds are near by. Common Frogs have smooth skin and long legs for jumping away quickly. Garden ponds are extremely important for common frogs, particularly in urban areas.

Common Toad (Bufo bufo)

Bufo bufo - S. Marais

The Common Toad is a widespread amphibian found throughout Britain though is absent from Ireland. Common Toads prefer deeper water bodies in which to breed, including fish ponds, farm ponds, reservoirs or village ponds. They have rough, ‘warty’ skin and tend to crawl rather than hop. Common Toads produce a toxin from a pair of glands on their back which makes them distasteful to would-be predators.

Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita)

Epidalea calamita - S. Marais

In Britain, the Natterjack Toad is confined to coastal sand dune systems, coastal grazing marshes and sandy heaths; they’re often associated with shallow, warm ponds in sand dune slacks as they require warmer water in which to breed successfully. Natterjack Toads have shorter legs than Common Toads and are quite quick on land – being known to run rather than walk or hop – but they are poor swimmers.

 

To find out more about the UK’s native amphibian and reptile species click HERE

OR

If you think you’ve spotted any of these species download the DRAGON FINDER APP and record your sightings.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Amphibians, art, Dragon Finder App, drawing, Inspired by nature

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