Monday, August 15, 2011

'chines (as in MAchines)

A few days ago, the drywall arrived. --and needed to be unloaded. A huge crane on the truck picked up palettes of dry wall and lifted them to the 2nd story. Our oldest grandson would have loved watching this happen as he loves 'chines of all types.


Everything has a time and place for things to happen. So--the window on the west side of the upstairs apartment could not be put in until the 'chine did it's work. While this was happening Mme Toad was also hard at work with her 'chine--a wheelbarrow and a shovel.



Low tech you say?  Yes, but the dastardly deed is done and the Toads will put in the next order for--you guessed it--MORE ROCKS!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Toads love flowers

Mme Toad began the planting of flowers even before the rough grading was finished last fall. Since then, a number of toadally great friends have brought their special flowers to add to riotous gardens at Toad House.

The parade of gift givers began with Phyllis and the petunias and marigolds along the sidewalk. They are in full bloom and add gorgeous purples, reds, yellows and pinks to the rock wall where Toad and toads hang out.

However prior to the planting of these colorful blooms, Toad found clusters of carnations (pinks) that had been over-run by the grass and weeds on the hillside of the Ellingboe house. These, along with the Austrian carnations from Tony's mother, were the first to go in the ground. An order of tulips and other bulbs were next. A few primroses and yellow sedum from the Ziesler gardens followed and made it through the long winter.

In the spring of this year, daffodils (transplanted at the wrong time of year!) were popped into the ground to bloom just days after transplanting. Gardner Ruth offered lovely red sedum and other plants. Judy came by with hostas and tall purple sedum. Ann, offered white bleeding hearts, and other shade plants for the woods along with sweet little pink blooming plants and miniature Iris.

A childhood friend, Gwen, came with buckets of perennials from her garden for the newest bed of flowers. This prompted Toad to dig more perennials and add them.

The strangest thing is that almost none of the flowers have been planted in what would be the 'right' time. However, in this enchanted place, all things are possible.



Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Sidewalk Super-in-toad-ent and the Squeaky Wheel

As you may recall, in the previous post I talked about the rock work and Marv's observation of our plight. I didn't tell you that he was quite critical of the sounds emanating from the front wheel of the wheelbarrow.

Here is a curiousity--the squeaky wheel has been greased. Kind readers, have you any thoughts on the wheel greaser? The toads think they have a pretty good ideas of who to thank for the kind deed.