It's incredible to watch spring unfold in New England, but this weekend I was reminded of an aspect of spring that I know I should admire, yet find pretty disgusting. We have a pond down the road, and at this time of year it is literally writhing and seething with mating toads. I know, it's cool that they leave land and mate in water and lay eggs and then the baby toadlets hop onto shore once hatched. But the endlessly buzzing, chirping, roiling din of mating amphibians just doesn't turn me on. Reproduction is miraculous, but the act that is required... uh not so much.