Hiding

I've mentioned a few times in the past that we're trying to spiff up the house a little bit.  This summer, right before the 4th of July, we painted the house.  Wow, did it make a difference!  And my mom even planted some flowers in the backyard.  Some time I'll remember to find those pictures and share some before & after shots.  

Last week we took it upon ourselves to get rid of the bushes in front of the house.  They're blocking our view from the front window, not to mention they grow like weeks and took continuous grooming to keep them in check.  We decided awhile ago we'd get rid of them.  But that's another story filled with those pictures I mentioned above. :) 

What I do have to share today was the fun, new friend I met while removing said bushes. 

I really wish X would have been with us at this point because he would have gotten a HUGE kick out of this little toad.  He was hiding in our bushes, right down by the ground, hiding in all the overgrown branches.  It must have been the perfect place for him, and who knows how long he's lived there. 

I don't normally go around looking for toads, but this reminded me of summers spent in Minnesota with my dad's side of the family, when we'd take our end-of-the-summer fishing trip.  My sister, cousins & I would find toads and frogs along the sandy beaches of the lake, and hidden in the tall grass near the cabins.  We loved picking them up and holding them awhile.  

So I snatched the little guy up, shot a few pictures to show X, and then released him into the neighbor's lawn.  I would have put him back the bushes on the other side of the house, but hubby was planning on mowing the lawn and I didn't want to find bits of my new "friend" in the yard.  X loves looking at these pictures and gets animated every time.  Just imagine if he'd actually been there! :)