a little garden friend

March 31, 2016

I found this little kinda big toad while preparing one of the garden beds for sowing. This is one the largest toads I’ve seen around here, in fact. I am calling him my little garden friend.

Huge toad in my garden bed!
He was under a pile of wooden stakes that were laying flat across the soil. When I picked up the stakes, there he was. I think the sudden sunlight surprised him. Maybe he had hibernated there all winter, as he was burrowed into the soil. I felt bad for disturbing him but didn’t want to put the stakes back on top of him for fear that I would hurt him. I tried to bunch some weeds all around him to give him back some shade. He can stay there as long as he wants. I will work around.

The Frog Prince by Linda Ori

As I was walking through the wood
One warm and sunny summer day, 
I chanced upon a lovely sight
A swirl of butterflies in flight; 

Urged on by curiosity, 
I followed down the path they flew
And tumbled through a hidden door
Beneath the leafy woodland floor; 

A wondrous sight did then appear
As if by magic to my eyes, 
And there within a hollow log
I spied a very princely frog; 

Nestled deep within that place
Of musty darkness shone a light, 
And there I saw as I did look
A princely frog with poem book; 

Lounging in his comfy space
With spectacles perched on his nose, 
The frog prince reading unaware
Of being watched as I stood there; 

So engrossed within his book, 
He did not notice as I sneaked
Behind his chair on velvet feet –
Then all at once our eyes did meet

He dropped the book into his lap, 
Complete surprise upon his face –
I turned to run and he did follow
Leaping from his hidden hollow

Swift I ran around the tree
And hiding, waited patiently
And soon he lept upon a rock
And then this frog began to talk; 

‘My dear, within your book I’ve read, 
Your songs of love and gratitude, 
Your tales of woe, of joy and such
I must admit, I like it much! ‘

But there is one thing I would ask
If I may only be so bold, 
Now would you please consider this, 
And place upon my lips a kiss? 

Well, I believe in fairytales
For heaven knows I’ve read a few, 
And if my memory serves me well, 
A little kiss might break the spell; 

So, pucker up you ugly frog
Let’s get this done while in the mood, 
I closed my eyes and then did place
A kiss upon his slimey face; 

It wasn’t bad, he tasted sweet! 
I can’t believe I kissed a frog! 
My eyes did open then and see
A handsome prince smile back at me! 

The prince of poets had been freed, 
No longer bound beneath the spell –
And in his freedom I did find
A gentle prince, sincere and kind; 

He offered then to mentor me
As poet prince, no longer frog –
And I of course said ‘yes’ and more……………
That day beneath the woodland floor.


No Comments

  • Reply gardentourist March 31, 2016 at 5:22 pm

    Nice, but… I’m pretty sure I would have made a scream! 😉

  • Reply thewoodlandgardener March 31, 2016 at 10:33 pm

    🙂 I must confess, he did quite surprise me, not expecting to see something like that under the boards. Then I got to really looking at him – thankfully he was very still and did not jump or I would have screamed too – and I just thought his little “hands” were so cute.

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