October 4, 2012:   This little Red Spotted Toad
(bufo punctatus) was so perfectly camouflaged
in our garden, I almost stepped on him.

Larger than a nickel but not quite as big as a
quarter, he didn't seem to mind being held for
a few minutes while I admired his varied
colors, ranging from red, orange, olive
green and grey to tan.

His brilliantly copper-colored eyes sparkled
and seemed to follow the sounds of my voice
as I told him how handsome he was.

After I returned him to the garden, he hung
around for awhile – both of us, basking in the
warmth of the rising sun making its way over
the mesa – a quiet moment of unity,
shared by two friends of differing species.