We scored our most interesting find beneath a dead tree stump. Chopped down long ago, its mangled roots had created a labyrinth of tunnels and hiding spots. In one of its compartments sat two tin boxes the color of fresh lime, each with a frog face—goofy-eyed and scarlet-tongued—printed on the front.
"Frog Rock," it said on the top.
I popped one open. Inside were a lipstick, a band-aid, and a small Lego figurine dressed in a yellow shirt and blue jeans. Flipping over the can, a fully scotch-guarded handwritten message read: please do not remove it.
I carefully resealed the box and put it back where it was. As we walked away, I could've sworn the Frog Rock kept a gaze on us.
July 27, 2025 at home in Bothell, WA