Warts and All

This morning I went out to pick some apples.  

They are crisp and sweet and juicy.

I kicked my slippers off at the back door, walked across the deck and slid my feet into my Crocs.

Gaaaaahhh!

It was soft and cold and it moved under my toes.

myownbeeswax.com

I didn't kill it and it did hop away - slowly, dragging one leg a bit.

I hope he is just bruised.

Poor little toad.

It brought back memories of a time when we got to experience a toad nose to nose.

thehapalife.com

In our local school, Grade 4 year end, there is a lottery held to see who gets to bring the classroom toad home for the summer months.

Both my lucky boys won this lottery in their grade four years.

Her name is Wartina and she had been living in the terrarium for 14 years.

The teacher didn't know how old she was when her son brought it home to her.

The first summer I worried that Wartina would die from old age while in our care.

The second go-round I was less concerned.

She enjoyed her time with us.

She got to swim in our pond.

She had rides on top of the remote control jeep.

She got to hop along the sidewalk and catch ants and bugs.

She didn't hop well on the grass.

We fed her big juicy earthworms.

She is still living in the grade four classroom.

I wonder, is Wartina still the original, or has she been replaced?

I also wonder, how long does a toad live, if they don't get squished in a Croc?

brookebessesen.com