white men can't jump. but small brown toads can.

So early last summer I came home one night to find something that has now captivated me for over a year.

Got home late one night, a toad was waiting for me on my front porch. Waiting for bugs to drop from my porch light for a nice snack. No big deal, right? It would not be...if my porch did not have 4 brick stairs leading up to the porch. This toad is probably 2 inches long, if that. The stairs are exactly 6 inches tall. 4 of them. He/she has to get up these in order to get to my porch. This is equal me jumping up onto the top of a 2 story house. 4 times.

I probably found Mad Hops (that's right, Mad Hops, holmes) waiting for me a dozen times before I finally caught it in action last year. Basically, it jumps up and grabs the stair with its front legs. Then pulls itself up, kinda pull-up style. Quite a sight.

I had not seen it since late last summer, friends have been asking if I had seen Hops. I thought maybe it was an owl's dinner, or run over by the landscaping crew.

The picture above is at my front door from a few nights ago. Mad Hops is back! It comes from my back yard, across the walkway, scales the stairs, comes to the front door ledge, turns around and faces the street, and waits for dinner to drop. Does not flinch when I unlock the door and step over him. It has seen me so many times it knows I am not a threat.

I just get a big kick out of this. Web says they can live 4-20 years. Hopefully it's around during my stay here.