Run, froggy, run

To all the frogs and toads of Central New York: I apologize. We have unleashed upon you a force of unmitigated affection that just might mean your extinction.

Yeah. Sorry 'bout that.

Not long ago, Buttercup found a toad in the garden, and because she is fearless, she scooped it right up in her hand and held it ever so gently and lovingly until the toad - clearly convinced that it was about to be eaten - simply gave up on life.

It didn't die. It just went into a semi-vegetative state there in Buttercup's hand, as though to signal that it would not be a very tasty meal.

Buttercup didn't care, of course. She had her new best friend right in the palm of her hand, and the fact that he wasn't wiggling or trying to get away was really a bonus in her mind.

And because she really was being very gentle, and not squeezing the poor little fellow in her zeal for their new friendship, we didn't step in.

She carried that toad around for a good half hour as we worked in the garden and cursed the awful rains that have washed out our meager crops.

When it came time to go into the house, though, we told Buttercup she needed to put the toad back where she found him.

We tried all the usual go-to methods to ensure her that putting her toad back in the garden would be The Best Thing.

"He's hungry - he needs to have his lunch."

"He's getting too hot and wants to be in the shade under the plants."

"He needs to eat the bugs so our garden will grow big."

None of it worked, so we pulled out the big guns.

"Bee - you need to put him back because he misses his family, and he needs to go find his Mama and Papa."

She looked at her toad and looked at us, then looked back at her toad, cocking her head to one side.

"Well," she said with matter-of-fact confidence. "We're his family now."

Comments

[Megan]

The toads play dead when threatened...okay, I'm one of those people I might as well accept it...I have no kids, so let me tell you about my dog.

Sorry.

She loves the toads too, and she likes to make them hop. So they freeze up and lay on their backs until she gets bored and leaves them alone.

But she's never told me we were the toad's family now...that's hilarious!

[moreena]

Oh, my. Annika said exactly the same thing about the fireflies she caught on the fourth of July. Lovely how willing they are to open our homes, isn't it?

[Michelle]

That is too funny, thank goodness my girls are too squeamish to pick up the frogs…they just chase them around the yard and squeal. I don’t think I could handle it if they wanted to keep them as part of the family!

[Ashley]

Did you say okay?

[Kelly M.]

How very clever and sweet! Buttercup and Toad....sounds like the makings of a childrens book to me???!!! Have a great day! I love exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!

[Bettie Bookish]

"Buttercup and the Comatoad: A Children's Fable."

I love it.

[Keri]

Been there, done that, flushed dead ladybugs anyway.

"But Mooooooommeeeeeee! They're my fwiends!!!"

"Baby, they're dead ladybugs."

"I don't care! I love them anyway. And I want to keep them forevew!"

"Hey, is that 'Little Bill' on TV?" (quick flush of toilet w/handful of ladybug friends)

[Beth]

My kids had a fly in their bedroom; and they wanted to keep "Fly" after he died ... we didn't.