35 years ago when I first moved to Lincoln I noticed a few roads were closed on the first warm rainy night in March for "The Big Night". The Big Night is when the yellow spotted black salamanders and wood frogs cross the roads to get to the vernal ponds. At some point they stopped closing the roads and encouraged people to drive slowly. Not sure how one can really see a black salamander on asphalt at night.
When we downsized a four years ago, we moved to one of the roads that has a salamander and wood frog crossing. We now go out and walk up and down to road on the first warm and rainy night in March to help the salamanders and wood frogs cross the road before cars come. I wanted to create a quilt with the sign, a salamander and wood frog for our theme Migration.
I took black fabric with highlights and machine quilted it to try to get it to look like asphalt. I photographed the sign and the wood frog and then printed on printed treasures. Unfortunately we did not see a salamander this year. I created the salamander from shinny fabric and fused yellow spots on him.
What a great slice of nature story! I love it that your community and now you and your husband go out to help these little critters cross the road safely! This was a perfect choice of subject for this theme. And the background road really does look precisely like asphalt! Good work!
ReplyDeleteTricia - What a fascinating story... I've never heard of this type of migration ! Your use of materials and fabrics to accomplish this quilt are a credit to your outstanding creativity. Thanks for making us aware of this type of migration, and for your efforts to keep all the "critters" safe !
ReplyDeleteThis is fascinating! How wonderful that you have been able to experience this for so many years. I love the fabrics and quilting you used to create the asphalt and the salamander. The sign really tells the story.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know salamanders migrate!! Great fabric choices and quilting to represent the Sally and the asphalt!! Love that you help them cross the road!!
ReplyDeleteLove both the story and your quilt! Good for Lincoln for closing roads for "The Big Night".
ReplyDelete