Last night as I was putting down the snack bowls in the individual stalls before letting the girls (and boy) in, I caught movement by my foot. It didn't slither, it didn't scamper...it sort of galumphed along. A bit difficult to see in the gloom of the barn, I finally figured out it was a toad about the size of a flattened lemon. As it was headed for the sill of the stall and would be squashed when I shut the door behind Nineteen, I picked it up and moved it to safety. Admittedly, frogs and toads in our area don't have many means of defense...no fangs, no spiny prickles, no stingers, but I have never picked up a frog in my life that didn't exact revenge. They pee, and this toad was no exception.
The first shed in front of the house was set up as a bathroom and laundry room for the people who lived in a trailer as they built the house. I use it for storage. There is an overweight peeper frog who lives in the unused toilet. I lift the lid every morning because once in a while a mouse will fall into the water in the bowl...sometimes I can save the swimmer, sometimes I scoop out the floater...but I always say good morning to the frog sitting on the rim.
A kid I knew was almost arrested because of a frog. George lived in the neighborhood near my muffler and welding business in the valley and, when he needed a little money, I'd hire him to sweep out the shop. In his thirties, George was challenged. Somehow we got to talking about frogs; I said I liked them and wanted them in my garden. George told me he knew where some frogs were and if he caught them, would I buy them? At a quarter a frog, it was a heck of a deal. George started bringing me frogs, laughing because they'd all peed on him. He had a thriving business until he was out one night on a hunt in his neighborhood and the police were called because the homeowner had reported a peeping tom. George was able to sufficiently explain himself to avoid being taken to jail, but he had to promise to stop his nightly forays. Just as well...my garden was overrun with frogs by that time.
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Dawn still needs a little coaxing to relocate the toads but man-o-man you oughta see her scramble to catch the earthworms before they scitter down their little holes in the ground. She eagerly extracts them and deposits them in her large vegetable pots in the yard. I've taken her to the worm farm where I buy worm droppings for her garden but I was afraid to let her out of the truck!
Now ya see...I didn't know that frogs peed when picked up. What's that tell ya? This city girl has never picked up a frog!! I guess we had a few in the gardens in Ohio, but I can honestly say I've NEVER seen one in the San Diego area where I've been gardening. Ah, I have missed so much! I do remember the little itty bitty ones in Ohio - barely the size of a quarter...so CUTE!! Mark, my beach city son and daughter-ette have a worm bin in their spare room of their rented house, and it has a spout in front where the "worm tea" can escape into a pan below...interesting decor, but practical!
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