I have lived out here on the prairies of Illinois for about nine years now. Not long.
But in all that time I have never seen so many toads. They are on the road, in the ditches, in the gardens, everywhere. On my daily walk to the West Barn and back I search the path like a beach-comber, making sure that I do not step on one. Often I am ushering them back into the long grass just as the dogs rush past half way to no-where in a hurry. The toads are just everywhere.
I am not sure what kind of toads these are. But isn’t he beautiful. This particularly cheerful specimen posed for his picture yesterday. He even waited for me to run inside to get the camera.
The turkeys stay in their new run when they feel like it. Hugo and I are going to have to make some adjustments. The fences are very high but I think I will have to cover the top as well. They can come out into the garden in the evening but they cannot live on the verandah for the day every day.
Naomi and Aunty Del. Lovely girls.
The men arrived yesterday and opened up the field. I suppose they will finish today. It will be a small crop from these fields this year. All the flooding took a massive toll. Though some of the fields on more sandy soil have bumper crops this year.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love you friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
65 responses to “The Year of the Toad”
That snouter of Boo’s is just asking to be kissed. Wonderful pic of him, handsome boy!
We too have had massive toads and even frogs this year. My worst horror is while on the mower. I try to watch for them and also turtles. I never go at a fast clip on the mower lest I run over some critter. Even snakes get a break with me! 🙂
That’s a wonderful portrait of Boo. Surely it will find its way into a calendar?
I love that photo of Boo.
Nice shot of Boo. That is a good-sized toad. Some years we’ll see one around the porch at night, but haven’t in quite awhile. Lovely ladies, they really are beautiful.