Toad Blogging – The Season Begins!
July 4th, 2007 at 2:51 pm by Cranky
It’s the Summer of 2007 and we’re back!
First come the micro-toads. From a nearby pond, hundreds of these little fingernail sized toads emerge and spread out throughout the neighborhood yards.
Next, a few of the smart ones will set up shop under walkway lights and proceed to balloon up like Al Gore’s ego backstage at Live Earth upon receiving an emotional handjob from Dave Matthews
BTW, this is my Carbon Offset Victory Garden. So far, it offsets more carbon than a 50,000 sq.ft. mansion. You’re welcome. (Thanks again to your generous donations to save the planet.)
July 4th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
It was the saying of Bion, that though the boys throw stones at frogs in sport, yet the frogs do not die in sport but in earnest.
(Old Greek proverb)
Please do not allow your children to engage in this “sport”, which, of course, is not a sport at all.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Shelly,
You don’t know me that well, so I’ll overlook your silly remark.
I actively create habitats for these little amphibians.
My love of toads and frogs borders on creepy. I refer to them as “my children”.
Please refer to the voluminous archives.
July 4th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
I’d be most careful there, Shelly. Cranky gets…well…Cranky when you cast aspersions on toads.
In fact in a prior life, I was almost banned forever from the Buffet for my prior insensitivity towards the Toad community.
Give them a chance, Shelly. In fact, might I suggest a small contribution to this worthy cause.
July 5th, 2007 at 6:06 am
That’s a pretty cool looking little spot you got there, I’m jealous.
As for the micro-toads – I can’t believe this, but since I come from BFE rural upper Northwest Tennessee and counties both bordering on not only the Tennessee River and containing multitudes of lakes both small and large as well as who knows how many thousands of ponds and creeks… and grew up with a pool. Yet I’ve never seen tiny toads in the volumes you speak of. Maybe it’s a geographic thing?
July 5th, 2007 at 7:51 am
As far as I can tell, Lynnster this variety of toad lays eggs in the high hundreds. The little tadpoles have legs quickly. Unlike the Green frogs in the hood, which can take months to morph, these guys quickly turn into these micro toads.
While mowing the lawn, I have to stop five or six times to get them out of the way.
Honestly, from where you describe living, I’m suprised you weren’t infested with them. Was there a healthy snake population in BFE/NW TN?
Shelly, that was mock indignation. I would only ban Nigel.
July 5th, 2007 at 11:44 am
While mowing the lawn, I have to stop five or six times to get them out of the way.
You’re such a closet hippie. Your own carbon offset and animal habitat…is your lawnmower a hybrid?
(Is Lynnster invited to Prickfest? I’d love to see a Smantix/Lynnster cage match.)
July 5th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Nigel,
You’d be tickled to hear that I can’t get myself to use pesticides either.
The only redeeming quality that I have is that I’m ready to take my .22 to the squirrels who help themselves to the bird feeders.
July 8th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Didn’t see this ’til now for some reason. This is very cool.
July 9th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Cranky,
If your bird feeder is on a pole (not next to many trees), grease that pole!
Or, you could put chicken wire in the bird feeder that won’t allow the squirrles to get to it, only the birds.
I had tried to put a tin pan (upside down) at the top of our pole so they couldn’t climb up onto the feeder, but I’ll be darned if they didn’t dismantle the whole thing! Bastids!
July 9th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
dsmith, you don’t say!
For such stupid creatures, they have minds like engineers and the win-at-all costs attitude of Bill Gates.
That’s what they are, nature’s damned furry geek rodents.