"On Track"

  For the past few nights (and days), it has been extremely cold.  At least, it has been cold for this far south.  We are not accustomed to the temperature staying below the freezing mark both night and day.  It has also been quite windy which adds to that chill.  Needless to say, folks down here were bundled up to their ears!  It makes me glad that I worked so hard for the past few weeks gathering the firewood.  With both of the menfolk "out of commission", I had to do chores for all of us.  It was not an easy job for an old lady but I am proud to say "I did it!"

  

  That cold wind also blew the tide far from the shore.  In fact, there was no water anywhere near the pier!  All you could see was mud!  Yep, I headed to the pier despite of the cold...despite of the icy wind...despite of the frozen pier boards.  It was a bit treacherous as I kept slipping and sliding!  Still, I made it and was captivated by the mudflats that were left behind as the water receded.  The water hides a lot of stuff!  Since the last time the tide was this far out, so many logs have floated in and are now mired in the mushy mud.  Those were not the only things interesting, though!  Tracks...so many tracks were to be seen!  It always amazes me how critters can walk on that mud and not become mired themselves.  

 

  A set of tracks that caught my eye was a double row of small ruts.  Occasionally, divots could be seen on either side of the ruts.  Ahh, turtle tracks.  We must have a lot more turtles in the bayou than I realized. Either that or we have a very active turtle!  Tracks were winding everywhere thought the mudflats. 

  I am assuming that these tracks were made by the Cooter Turtles that mostly hide in the marshes or bask on those logs.  The tracks seemed too small for the snapping turtles plus did not have the claw marks which are telltale signs of the snappers. Both types of turtles usually only make their way ashore to lay their eggs then are back down to keep out of sight.  Had I been on the pier a bit earlier, perhaps I would have seen a dozen or so as they slid their way across the mudflats.  I imagine they were confused about the frigid weather and did not burrow down in the mud soon enough to keep warm.  Poor, old southern turtles!  They were caught off-guard just like all of the rest of us!