Even the Toad is Grumpy

It's that time of year.  I have no pictures of the outdoors because it's been so dreary and dim out there our automatic nightlight in the bathroom never turned off yesterday.  I felt like yoking myself to a rope and trudging up the Volga River singing with the boatmen... if I could sing in Russian.

So instead of looking outside to watch the world turn gray and depressing, I got out some thick green yarn and crocheted the requested "grumpy toad" for someone small.  I didn't have any toad green yarn in the stash so I cruised the yarn aisles at Jo-ann's looking for some.  The only kind that came anywhere close was some Lion Heartland Thick & Quick in Joshua Tree.  Of course the pattern called for worsted and DK weights but I figured I could just use a bigger hook and get a bigger toad.  That's exactly what happened.  I had some bigger safety eyes on hand and figured that having an all green toad would look grumpier than one with a white belly as the pattern showed.  He didn't look very grumpy once I got him all assembled so I pinched a "brow ridge" right behind his eyes, then stuck the yarn tail down through the middle, tugging it to make the "frown" between the eyes.  I might use the same trick to "frown" the ends of his mouth; I'll have to look at it for a day or two.  I'm very happy with how it turned out.  I still have to make a few more pancakes and a raccoon to fulfill LC's complete order.  This Meemaw gig is a blast.

February 8--Paul Gauguin, Breton Village under Snow.  Emma slowed around the curve and drove into the village of St. Georges.  It had snowed overnight and the roofs were white slabs above the stacked stone houses.  The light was turning blue as the sun slid behind the distant hills and smoke curled picturesquely out of the chimneys.  She was glad to see golden light streaming out of the windows of the cafe.  She parked her rented car and went in for a cup of coffee and to inquire about a room.  She was determined not to stay in a chain hotel this trip, only local lodgings, bed and breakfasts preferred.

Ooh, don't you wish you were driving your rental car into a little village somewhere righgt now?  Even in winter?  It's the middle of winter and I want to escape.  I can't but even dreaming about it helps.  I have an appointment to get my bones rearranged in half an hour and I'm still in my jammies.  Gotta dash.
--Barbara