There are many things I love about living in the country, I can’t imagine going back to a city.

One of them is that we share our lives with animals and nature. There are the donkeys, dogs, chickens, sheep and barn cats, of course, but there are also the birds and hawks and eagles and streams, and owls and bears and wild turkeys and coyotes and bobcats and moles and raccoons, and skunks, the trees, flowers, and plants.

We see some of these creatures often, some once in a while. But we are always aware of their presence, and sometimes they join us.

In the Spring there are peepers, toads, and frogs. We have all kinds of visitors when we eat outside on the back porch, bugs, barn swallows and bluebirds, orioles, and bees.

This morning, a toad appeared right next to the table where we were eating, he seemed to want to join us, he sat right next to us during our meal.

He had his own breakfast, he ate a couple of ants while we had our cereal and toast. He was at ease around us, even when we got close to photograph him.

After we were done, Maria picked up gently and placed him carefully in her dense and beautiful flower garden. We imagine he will be happy in there. Plenty of sun, cover,  shade, and bugs.

The garden even gets watered twice a day.

What else would a toad want?