I've had to temporarily curtail my garden clean up - and the reason for that is really quite lovely

[appleannie1]

9. I have had a toad family that has been living under my azalea bushes for years by the side door

When one of my granddaughters was about 4, I caught one and let her hold it. It remained calm and when she put it back down, it hopped back into her lap. They are so used to me going in and out of the house by that door that they seem to know they have nothing to fear from me.

There is now a mourning dove nest on the wooden swing on the front porch. The dove watches me cook dinner on my grill a couple times each week. I talk to it while I grill.