I'm Going to Miss Them

The toads spent the warmer months startling me.

When I reached to pull a weed, I caught sight of a toad eyeballing me.

One staked out the geranium as his home and hunkered under the leaves as I watered the plants in the morning.

Others liked the gravel and bugs in the barn. One insisted on sitting in the doorway, and I learned to look for it before entering the barn.

Others lived under trees and hopped into the air when I approached with the mower.

I've never seen so many toads as I have this year.

And now, on this first day of all, they're still surprising me. When I went to fill the outdoor pets' water bowl, this guy glared at me. Had I interrupted his bath or swim?

When do you hibernate for winter? And where do you go?

And, will you come back next spring?