Gm. American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) about a little over a month or two old. Young individuals like this one tend to have more reddish brown warts that gray as they mature. This one also has some brighter red-orange texture on its sides and face.
Every time I see the low peaks of the Appalachians, I am reminded that they were once every foot as tall as today’s Rockies or Andes but have weathered many more ages of the earth; they are ancient and venerable.
Gm. Eastern spicebush (Calycanthus floridus), a shrub native to the eastern United States, has an almost sickeningly sweet, ripe, sultry fragrance that’s hit or miss. This one had barely any scent, probably due to the rain temporarily washing away its aromatic oils.