I come from a family of gardeners. Gramps could grow tomatoes on a rock…my Brother is a certified Master Gardener….Dad had a Christmas tree farm…. Uncle Charlie Bianchi…all 4’ 11” of him…. regularly grew tomatoes taller than he could reach. Sis’ has the greenest of thumbs. Mom had Poinsettias she kept going for years. When I was born, she was given a Christmas Cactus…I don’t remember it ever NOT blooming….every year…for the 49 years I had her. I hear neither is normal. The Lady had magic. Gave it away when we lost her…hope it’s still blooming. Me?…well…I live in an Apt…and grow the BEST refrigerator mold!…it’s the least I can do…..

Small digression…..one of the GREATEST joys in life is to walk out into a garden…. on a hot summer day…with a salt shaker… picking a sun warmed tomat…and eating it right there! Oh my….juice down the chin….oh…. friggin’…..  my….

Anyway…when I was a kid…we lived on Lincoln hill…all clay… and only good for apple trees and grass. Sooooo….every year we would go down to the banks of the Skagit river…. dig some sand and river soil….. and dump it in the trunk of our beloved Volvo. Bet it’s illegal now…more’s the pity. It sure did sweeten the garden. This time…about 2 feet down…we came upon a figurine toad…at least, that’s what I thought…and delighted…a new toy! I reached to pick it up…and he BLINKED. Not a surprised blink…or even a perturbed blink…but the kind of a blink you would expect from a distinguished old English gentleman…. rousing from a brandy nap in the Club…a smile and an "’ello mate!" He calmly crawled into my hand…and a friendship was born….

To digress just a little more…my Father was frugal…oh…ok…CHEAP….in soil as well as animals. We never bought an animal…but were never without. Why buy when they would crawl right into your hand…if ya just LET ‘em.

While the family tended to the garden…I built a terrarium for “Smiley”… from an old fish tank. A few sticks, some plants, a little moss, and a small bowl of water. For the rest of the summer busied myself catching bugs for his dinner. Now, a toad don’t do anything fast…EXCEPT eat! Bugs in the box…Smiley would shuffle around to get a straight shot….fwwwwwwwt …tongue out…bug IN….GULP….BLINK….and then the smile. Ya can’t tell me toads don’t smile….I’ve SEEN it!

As was our practice…eventually, we had a family council re Smiley. He was a good egg…enjoyed by all…but, was HE happy? Much discussion ensued….and as was also family practice…I was allowed to make my own decision…based on what was fair…and what was right. Animals were to be treasured, respected, cared for properly…and then allowed to decide their own fate. So, there really was then no choice….

Sad…but armed with that…I went out…offered my hand…. which he calmly and serenely climbed on…as always…and took him to the backyard hedge. Crawled under…and let him go. Not sure…but wondering if I would ever see him again…awaited. No disappointment…could hear his croaks nightly…different and distinctive from the “millions” of frogs that inhabited the area. Many a day…for months after…  I would crawl back under that same hedge….and there he’d be! We’d blink and smile  at each other…but I never touched him…we had an understanding…friend to friend.

Some think God never made a more ugly critter than a toad…but I know different…a most beautiful animal in demeanor, deportment, and conformation… a classy gentleman that Smiley…..and my friend. God Bless buddy....

Best,

Jon

Thank you for sharing that storied portion of your life Jon.  I enjoyed reading it!

Damn - got sumpin in me eye....

Heartwarming, wonderful and oh so enjoyable to read.  I do believe I still have some of the river clay under my nails, so much a part of the story was this reader

*hugs*
Cat

That was a good read, Sweetie....thank you!