Laura stopped for a couple of weeds in the garden on our way to the grocery store this morning, and she found our very own Mr. Toad has exited his winter abode.
How about that for stink eye? I just noticed his chest markings look like a couple of playful tadpoles. That would only elicit more stink eye. "Hruumph, stupid old woman. Tadpoles are not toads!"
He was close to the size of my hand, so I elected to let him be.
I have no idea what this flower is. The coral bells have grown up since last week, too.
So, back to the weather I led off with. We got to mid eighties today, and then the bottom falls out all week long. The threat of severe weather in the middle of the country trumps my whining about forties overnight next week. I hope the potential for tornadoes spares people.
I read an interesting quote, "They don't vote governments in son, they vote them out." Also from my lips to God's ear, we must exchange out these climate deniers, and that's just for starters.
My sister's chives did not overwinter, so I promised her a trowel full when I see her next. That could be sooner than later, or later than sooner. She says she will oversee the goods moving into the new abode as I watch them leave the old.
Laura is moving back with her mother this coming Saturday, and even has secured summer employment at a local Plato's Closet. I'm packing slowly.
My neighbor and I commiserate on the management of the park. Or lack thereof. We both come trailing blue ribbons in management and organization, and simply do not understand how people so deficient are appointed to positions requiring planning, scheduling and other elementary skills of property management.
I cannot get a move in date. Without a moving date, I cannot hire a moving company. "Yes, I'm moving, very soon, but I don't have the date. Can you rent me a truck and a crew for that day?" I'm sure they think less of me than does that toad!
Today we pulled up all the garden art and stashed it on the porch. All the pictures are down. Now I need to fill boxes, taking care to leave out a sauce pan and my toothbrush. Assuming, of course, I get the nod from on high.
I know your five-petaled blue plant but the name has floated out of reach. They come in many colors, (well, shades, white to blue) and the one that's native around here is a lighter blue than yours and has a wonderful scent, that will float to me and I'll think "where's that from". A woodland sort of flower.
ReplyDeleteHoping an easy move for you. I can't imagine too much more traumatic than moving.
How perfectly that toad is camouflaged, Nature is amazing. Let's hope he feeds on those annoying instincts. Your garden is lovely.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Glad that the toad made it through the winter. Frustrating not to have the move in date. Need to have that bit of closure with all that is going on; knowing when your next adventure begins would be a good one I think! I hope Laura does well and remembers all you tried to teach her while you took excellent care of her.
ReplyDeletebetty
What fabulous photos of that toad! I wish he could move with you, but I guess not...I wish Laura good luck and I wish you the same and more of it. I would go crazy with such deficient "managers" in charge of my moving date.
ReplyDeleteLove the toad - and hope you get a date to move soon. Will you still be able to get mail sent to the old address (a couple of tiny pebbles headed your way from here last week).
ReplyDeleteAs a PS, our climate deniers were returned to power this weekend and I am appalled, angry and very sad.
Mail will be fine. I just leave a change of address at the post office. Management may be inefficient here, but the population gets misdirected mail to the right person.
DeleteI read about the result of your election. Stupidity is a global phenomenon. Just us minor peons up in the bleachers trying to set it right.
that's a spectacular toad!! May he eat loads of bugs!! Keeping my fingers crossed that your management guys get their act together and you will be able to move soon!!
ReplyDeleteHari om
ReplyDeleteGolly, all change... soon... YAM xx
I love that toad. So big and such wonderful body markings. Good luck to Laura as she moves on and to you as you begin the solo life. Your garden sure came up quickly with the brief spell of warm weather you had. I hope that everyone stayed safe with the tornadoes moving in. I also hope you can get a move in date sorted out soon.
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating to not be able to have a definite moving date? And why on earth not? Surely management must know when the new trailer will be available.
ReplyDeleteCould the little blue flowers be forget-me-nots?
I'd say that the blue flowers are gentiana verna, spring gentian. The pink flowers are like london pride, but the leaves aren't
ReplyDeleteHope your move sorts itself out soon xx
That's a fine toad. If you pick them up they piss on you. That one looks like about half a pint.
ReplyDeleteI think your flowers are a type of phlox, what I would refer to as "ground phlox", but forget if they are phlox subticulata, panticulata?? Anyway, how can a move in date be that complicated? Must drive you batty! Toads are wonderful. You should take him with you! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI would, if I were taking the garden where he lives. I'm not, so I'll leave him here.
DeletePhlox, yes, that's the name.
DeleteThat one plant MAY be phlox sublata (ground phlox) or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteThat’s a great toad.
ReplyDeleteI pray things will come together soon for you.
Your toad is a beauty and his chest markings do look like tadpoles. I am not comfortable with toads and frogs but I admire them from afar quite happily. How frustrating not to have a moving date! That's ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI know you must be proud of Laura for already having her summer job lined up.
She presents herself well, and is a conscientious and capable worker. The studio owner she worked for said Laura was the only employee who left her phone in her back pack, in the corner, which made me smile as that is what I told Laura she must do, and schazaam, she did it.
DeleteYou gave Laura great tools for life and you'll be fine too. I also have a few small stones to make their way to you and I hope they will arrive.
ReplyDeleteI love it in spring when the bog here is filled with tadpoles that evolve into toads & frogs (depending on the parents, of course LOL). Your blue flowers look like flax.
ReplyDeletequite an impressive toad. stink eye and all. I do hope whoever moves into your current place will care for garden and toad. so, changes are imminent! good for Laura already having her summer job. that's your influence. one more thing. when your cook moves out, you must take over. no wasting away on cereal and cookies which was what my mother did.
ReplyDeleteLaura is a stubborn teenage cook who fancies herself a gourmet cook. Sadly, her recipes do not turn out because "they" did something wrong, or doing it their way is too much trouble. It has been a long three years of bad meals; a constant struggle to move beyond macaroni and cheese. I am so looking forward to vegetables.
DeleteHow frustrating not to have a move in date....maybe you will just have to tellTHEM wat day you are moving in and let them work around it lol.
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope so. There truly is disorganization there. It will be nice to move to one spot right there from another right there. We will have a long move if we find something north of us.
ReplyDeleteClimbing stairs many times a day would not work for me, Mage. I do wish you luck--buena fortuna--in locating an adequate home.
DeleteLast year I found a toad in my garden shoe. I had left them out overnight as they were muddy. Good thing I looked before I leaped or toady would have been squashed. What a horrible feeling that would have been.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you have something new to look forward. A new home will keep you busy.
Mr Toad looks like I do some mornings before coffee. I hope you get a move-in date soon so you can book a truck and crew!
ReplyDeleteIt is always a mystery to me how bad so many businesses are about scheduling. We've been trying to get someone out to fix a crack in the vinyl on the console in the truck. Do you think they'll return a phone call or show up? No.
ReplyDeleteHere's wishing you a moving date and a good crew to take care of it.
Whoa, that is a BIG toad! I wonder how old he is.
ReplyDeleteVery frustrating not to be able to plan for a truck and movers ahead of time. I hope that changes PDQ.
I didn't realize, somehow, that Laura's last day with you was coming up so fast. I hope she takes away with her the values you worked so hard to impart. Sometimes we just have to let go and hope. Hugs, Joanne.
good idea to leave the toad alone. my father always told me "they give you warts" so I don't touch them to this day. yes, yes, I know no warts but they do pee on you. safe move, a pain in the patootie any time.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get your move-in date soon.
ReplyDeletePeople given jobs they're simply not qualified to do - there's plenty of them around!
Plato's Closet is a new one on me. Used clothing for youngsters, I gather. Good idea.
They buy and resell "gently used" clothing. It's a good source of vintage clothing, and one of a kind. It's been Laura's go-to for the last three years.
DeleteWish I had a toad in my garden. It would be great for controlling the slug and snail and slugs. The robin is a frequent visitor perching on a spade or fork. One flew round the polytunnel the other day.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get one. I read your most common toad is the Natterjack, and it can live 15 years.
DeleteWhat a very handsome toad! I expect whoever moves in after you will fall under his spell, too.
ReplyDeleteLaura's holiday job sounds ideal … I would have loved it at that age.
People confuse weather and climate. The long period of varying weather is the climate. Something is changing over a the whole year. Much more chaotic weather with bigger swings. It took years to get to this climate mess and will take years to slow it down.
ReplyDeleteWishing you the best for a smooth move.
That toad is not impressed.
ReplyDeleteIf I had seen that toad as a child, I would have run away screaming. Now, it would fascinate me.
ReplyDeleteWas half expecting you to say that spring was there one day, and snowed in the next. That is what is part of our Calif. and Colorado mountain weather.
Moving: it's one of the most stressful life-events.
ReplyDeleteI moved a planter on my porch the other day and there was our little toad hiding underneath. I haven't seen it since, but it will be around.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking forties at night... wow... when I realised you'd be talking Fahrenheit. I found it hard dealing with 35 deg last summer in Berlin. Celsius. I'd be a lot less patient sounding than you are with the park management. I love the look of that toad. I hope you'll be able to take him with you.
ReplyDeleteGoodness! That's a huge toad. Moving is such a stressful time. Keeping my fingers crossed that all will work out quickly and efficiently for you soon.
ReplyDelete