Bufo, toadally a cad!

That Bufo, always a push-over for beautiful red-hatted women.

And even stealing a hat to fit in!

Really, such a baby!

I hope he has the wisdom to stay out of the funds.

Oh!  I know what he was after!  A little love.....

And a lot of sympathy.

yesterday and today

In case you didn't seen Jenny's comment about the signatures on the beams (1905!) here is a reprint: 

"I did a quick census search for Ladysmith, WI. The June, 1905 census lists a Harry Ballon, single, aged about 21. He was a lodger in the John and Emma Pederson household. (John Pederson was listed as a merchant.)

The second name looks like Bessie Manley to me - the same census lists a Bessie Manley, aged 21, single, day laborer. She was living with her parents, George and Lillian Manley. George Manley is listed as hotel keeper, and there are a lot of other names in that household."

So if any of you toad house followers dig up any more information, please share!

Now, on to today.  Kate Kopka, her sister and brother-in-law visited about a week ago and when they were touring the "Kopka Gallery" Kate signed the wood in that area.  We didn't have our camera but tried to take a picture with cell phones. I tried to get it to my computer to show you in the blog, but so far, no go. So until a kind-hearted toad friend tells me how to do it, I can only share the picture I took a day later, Kate's signature sans Kate.

Soup's On

Bufo, from Toad House, and friends from RAAA and the Mad Cat Studio had a great time at the Senior Center for the annual soup cook off.  Here is Nancy keeping tabs on the soup and on Bufo, the cook.

The Toad and His Lady

The Toad and His Lady

Eileen L. Ziesler

(with apologies to Edward Lear)

The toad and his lady hopped into town

To the beautiful rocky Toad House.

They took some flour and starter quite sour

For the breads they would espouse.

The toad looked up to the tower above

And croaked to his dear lady love

“O lovely Toad! O Toady my love,

What a bufo old toad you are,

You are,

You are!

What a bufo old Toad you are.”

The lady looked down from her bower with love

And said to her toad just below,

"Let us make merry! Too long we have tarried

We must gather fine art–like Van Gogh."

They emailed and blogged for a year and a day,

All the fine artists they knew.

All the talents of Rusk and the talents in RAAA

The list it just grew,

And grew,

And grew!

The list it just grew and grew.

Many did come with their beautiful art

Fit for a king to see

And spirits of artists who once lived here

(Also most certainly agree)

The lovely and beautiful rocky Toad House

Is a wondrous abode to see,

To see,

To see!

Is a wondrous abode to see!

They dined on quince–Lady Toad and her prince

And a latte the lady did make.

They dined on raspberries and lovely blueberries

To garnish their own special cake.

And under the fronds at the edge of the pond

They hopped in the light of the moon,

The moon,

The moon!

They hopped in the light of the moon.

Digging up the past

Today was a historic day at Toad House. Up on a ladder with his head in the rafters, Tony found an original beam in the original house with four signatures. I took a photo of the signatures before they will get tucked into the new dry wall. 

I am able to  make out the first name, Harry Ballon. 

The second one appears to be Bessie ____. 

The third appears to be Jr. H.___. 

The fourth looks like Bud ___.

Wouldn't it be fun to learn more about these people! I went to city hall to see if I could find out when the house was built. Kurt Gorsegner found records to show it was built in 1905 and the garage in 1920. How fun it is to imagine these people signing their names up in the rafters of the house. 

Are they your relatives?? The toads would love to know more.