Only One Task On Her Mind

   We, as humans, oftentimes find it difficult to stay focused on our task at hand.  Admittedly, I do.  Son laughs a bit when we will be working on a project and I spy something interesting.  His comment is only "Oh, look a bunny!"  It does not even have to be a rabbit that distracted me!  It can be a butterfly, a snake, a frog, a glass of lemonade, a funky shaped cloud....anything will cause me to lose interest in a chore and set me off in a different direction.  Let me clarify that this is not something that has to do with age.  This has been a lifelong thing with me.  So, one can easily see how I came to find the box turtle this morning.  I simply got distracted from the task at hand (also known as throwing scraps in the compost bin.)  Anyway, I did, indeed, find a turtle and did, indeed, have to go greet said turtle.  It is just my way.

  Actually, my visit with the box turtle was quite interesting.  A female turtle had ambled out of the marsh and was still rather covered with mud.  She trudged up the hillside just a wee bit, stopped then peered in every direction.  I greeted her.  She ignored me.  Hmmmph!  That is some way to treat your neighbor!  I plopped myself down on a nearby log and watched her.  Just as I suspected, the turtle started digging a hole.  My turtle was to be a mama!  This box turtle had come from the marsh to lay her eggs.  

  My first instinct was to sit and watch her until she was finished just so I could put a wire frame over her nest.  If this is not done, the raccoons would raid the nest and leave nary an egg.  Yep, my first instinct was to watch...then I remembered that this was a long, drawn-out process and I was sitting right in the midst of about a bajillion mosquitoes and just as many deerflies.  Nope, I was not going to allow myself to be eaten alive.  I would check on our sweet lady and her "birthing" progress later!

  All in all, it took nigh on three hours before she was satisfied with her task....about an hour to dig the hole, maybe another half hour laying the eggs and then the remaining time covering the nest.  Once she was finished, it nearly impossible to see where she had dug the nest.  Nothing was left to lead any predator to her eggs except maybe a scent.  Once she made her way into the palmettoes and then into the marsh, I set the cage over the nest site.  Hopefully, this will keep any marauding critters at bay.  The cage is slightly raised to allow the little ones to make a dash for the palmettoes but is heavy enough to discourage those wanting eggs for supper.  Good luck, Little Ones!  

Breakfast With a Friend

   I usually rise long before the sun starts to peek over the pines on the far side of the Bayou.  At about 4am, I rise, head to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee and make a skillet of buttermilk biscuits.  Then, I sit back and enjoy my breakfast in peace in quiet while the menfolk are still asleep.  Sometimes, that biscuit and coffee is taken out to the back deck so I can listen to the frogs as they interrupt the stillness of the predawn.  Coffee is sipped while I ponder things to come.  Usually, this is my "alone" time and I cherish that.

  Yesterday morning, however, that alone time was spent with a long-time friend.  As I sat on the top step, Virginia came ambling out from under the shed.  Yep, my old friend had aroused from her brumation and was rather hungry.  I watched as she made her way up to the steps.  She was still covered with dust from being buried beneath the dry dirt under the shed.  Once she realized I was there, she lifted her front foot which has long been her way of telling me she needed food.  I rushed to find sustenance for my friend.  A hungry box turtle needed food!

  Virginia has been coming around for some 10 to 12 yrs now....perhaps more.  She has befriended each of us and knows she is welcome to a handout simply by asking.  That front foot being raised was her own doing but, since it worked the first time, she has repeatedly used it to get food.  I think it is adorable and always rush to find the best treats for her.  This morning, we shared a banana.  Well, she ate all but one bite.  Virginia was ravenous!  After our breakfast together, she made her way to the Frog Pond for a refreshing dip in the tadpole laden water and I sat and smiled.  Sharing breakfast has never been so grand. It is always nice to have a friend drop in to visit...even better when it is one so sweet.

She Knows

   For a number of years now, a small box turtle has been living around the place.  She mainly stays in the cooling shade under the shed near Bat, the cat, or slides down into the Frog Pond to catch tadpoles.  The turtle never ventures far from the backdoor which is just a few feet from both the shed and pond.  Knowing that these turtles never roam far, one expects this but I tend to think there is another reason this particular turtle remains nearby.  This all started years ago and involves Son who has such a wonderfully kind heart.  One day while he was actually working on some repairs on the shed, he found the box turtle stuck between the shed deck and a roll of fencing.  She could not budge so he freed her and then "hinted" that perhaps she was hungry.  I fetched some apple that he hand-fed to her.  Later the turtle happily went on its way and we figured that would be that.  We were wrong.  The turtle came back for more handouts and still, to this day, knows we will ply her with a meal.

  I went on to eventually name our sweet critter friend.  The name came from an elderly lady who fed the turtles when I was a child.  Ms. Virginia had dozens of turtles that came to her doorstep for food.  I was there several times and was allowed to "help" her feed her turtle friends.  The memory begged for me to name our turtle after that sweet lady of so long ago.  Virginia, the turtle, is now a longtime resident "pet" of ours.  She comes daily to receive treats and even has a delightful way of letting you know she is hungry.  Once the turtle spies one of us, she ambles over and raises her left front foot as a sign that she is ready to eat.  It works like a charm!  Virginia will always be treated like a queen here!

  Today was no different. Virginia came out from beneath the shed as soon as she saw Son going down the back steps.  She scurried (if a turtle can scurry) up to him, looked longingly into his eyes and raised that left front foot.  His heart melted...I darted inside to get a snack of watermelon...Virginia was happy.  Folks, be kind to all creatures.  Friends come in all shapes and sizes.

The Wise Froglet

   If you watch the wild animals that live around you, it becomes apparent that it takes a lot of wit to survive.  Every day, there is a battle to find food and stay safe.  In a sense, it is a never-ending battle.  To my way of thinking, critters are a lot smarter than most people think.  Humans are always touted as "the smartest" or "wisest" but once you get to really studying the lives of critters, you will see that...well...that is probably just not so.  Humans may be smarter in some instances but animals have us beat in many ways.  Not many folks would ever stand a chance of survival in the wild.

  This morning, I was watching as a box turtle slid into the Frog Pond.  She does so daily as she is hunting tadpoles to fill her belly.  There has been competition in the pond lately as a water snake is in the same search.  The defenseless tadpoles seem to be the underdogs in this pond life.  They are soft and squishy with no defense mechanisms going for them whereas the snake and the turtle are stronger, faster and better protected.  I am starting to feel sorry for the tadpoles.  It seems that my once billion or so frogs are fast dwindling to predators.

  As soon as the turtle slid into the pond to forage beneath the waterlilies, a slight movement on the far side of the pond caught my eye.  One tiny froglet had climbed out of the water and slowly made its way up the stem of a Mexican Petunia  (Ruellia Simplex).  I shifted my position to get a better look at the tiny frog.  The little one was still morphing from being a tadpole as it had a tiny tail.  Even at that wee age, the frog knew it had to vacate the pond to escape being eaten.  It sought the supposed safety of land versus the dangerous water.  Little did it know that now it had other predators to fear.  Cats, coons, snakes, birds, lizards, other frogs and many other critters would be on the lookout for an easy meal.  Poor little froglet would have to learn how to hide and learn that art quickly. 

  Being a frog for only minutes, the little critter was already pretty smart.  After sunning for a brief time, it carefully made its way to the blackberry vines.  It clung to the bottom of a leaf in the midst of a veritable fortress of thorns.  The little frog could gain strength here and perhaps even catch a few tiny flies that were visiting the (past prime) berries.  Hopefully, the froglet will stay safe and that circle of life can continue.  In the meantime, a lot of its siblings were being chased relentlessly in the pond.  Life in the wild is not easy....critters have to be smart.  Good luck, tiny froglet!  You are going to need it.  I wish you well.

A Little Help, Please!

  When one thinks of turtles, thoughts of slow moving, slow thinking critters come to mind.  Not many folks think that these critters have feelings and can, in their own way, ask for help.  I wish I could have videoed an encounter this morning.  It was heart-warming, to say the least.  

  As usual, I made my rounds through the small gardens at daybreak.  I could tell that the weather was not going to play nicely with the plants so I had intentions of giving every plant I could reach a good soaking with the water hose.  These plans were waylaid for a bit as I found a friend in need at the garden gate and, I must say, this friend truly asked nicely.  A small box turtle was waiting for me at the gate to the veggie patch.  There, a few scraggly tomato plants and a couple of pepper plants are all that are hanging on by a thread.  I bid my friend a good morning and asked if she needed any help.  The turtle immediately turned about face and went into the garden.  I followed like a dutiful servant.  She headed straight to a tomato plant that had a couple of ripe tomatoes still dangling on the higher branches.  To get her point across, she reached her front foot up on the tomato crate and looked at me longingly.  Yep, this turtle just literally asked for a tomato!  I grinned and promptly pulled off the largest, broke it in half and laid it on the ground in front of the turtle.  She immediately started munching the red tomato.  I could tell she was one happy turtle. 

  I left her in peace and started watering the plants.  After a bit, I noticed that she was not only enjoying the tomato breakfast but seemed to love the cooling water that was tricking around her.  Well...I might as well water the turtle, too!  She was blissful and seemed to fully appreciate my kindness.  After completing the task at hand, I turned to see Friend Turtle nudging along the fence line as she tried to get to the other side.  Ok...time to "aid the turtle" again.  I scooped her up and set her on the other side of the fence.  Freedom!  She scuttled off into the cooling shade under the fig trees.  There, she nestled down into the (now wet) leaves ready to wait out the scorching daylight hours.  Sweet thing!  It made me feel good to offer a helping hand.  Be kind to all, folks.  Just be kind.

Eleanora is Happy!

   Ever since the weather warmed months ago, a female box turtle has been a steady occupant of the concrete pond that I dubbed as "Puddle Pond".  This little mud hole is at the end of "Pebble Creek" aka the drainage ditch.  The turtle and I have become quite friendly as, for a while, she depended on my help when she wanted out of the pond.  It seems that turtles are not adept at traversing gravel covered concrete.  She could get out of the water but not completely out of the pond area.  Each day, I would set her on dry ground under the blueberry bushes where she would burrow under the mulch during the heat of the day.  Each morning, she would be back in the pond feasting upon the tadpoles that were there by the millions.  I named her Eleanora simply because it hit me one morning that it was a fitting name.  She is quite the elegant turtle and needed an elegant, old-fashioned name so Eleanora came into being.

  I began to fret over my turtle friend.  It occurred to me that if I ever became incapacitated, Eleanora may never get out of the pond!  She would live in her own little paradise...until that paradise became her prison.  Something had to be done to help poor Eleanora escape under her own power.  I mentioned it to Son this morning and he set about making a "path" for Eleanora.  Knowing she could not navigate the gravel, he began looking for another possible exit.  Puddle Pond is edged on the back side with huge pieces of driftwood and old pilings so that became her path.  He slightly moved things about a bit to make her a "private" entrance into the garden beneath the blueberry trees.  

 Eleanora caught on quickly and was soon to be seen basking on the edge of the path.  She is also extremely happy to find that some fat earthworms had been uncovered when Son moved the pilings.  (At this rate, Eleanora is going to get fat!)  This evening, Eleanora is nestled down in a nook near the driftwood.  She is happy...I am happy.  All is well in Puddle Pond.

Sun-dappled Turtle

   There are so many things that simply marvel me about nature.  Just the everyday happenings that most folks never notice are astounding to my way of thinking.  A butterfly crawling from its chrysalis, an alligator lying in wait for breakfast,  the night-blooming cereus bud opening...are all miraculous wonders.  My only sad part is that the camera is still on the blink.  It is hard to get good photographs when the goofy thing only works occasionally.  I suppose taking it on hikes during rainstorms has greatly diminished its capabilities.  What invigorates me, hampers the functioning of electronics...so it seems.

  Early this morning, I did not dare venture down to the pier.  Lightning bounced around on the Bay making it a bit scary to be a "sitting duck".  I did slip out to the Small Gardens just to breathe.  It is there that I can truly find the feeling of being alive.  While there, I heard a slight crunch of something stepping on the gravel in Pebble Creek (the glorified drain from the house eaves).  This 50ft long running "creek" that ends in Puddle Pond is a never-ending source of interest as critters love the place.  This morning's visitor was a box turtle.  I quietly chose a spot under the Curcumin leaves so I could be a bit sheltered from the drizzly rain as I visited my friend.  These 5ft tall plants with the huge leaves directed the water droplets away from me and down into the gravel.   As soon as I settled into my little spot, the sun burst through the clouds and dappled Pebble Creek and the turtle in a glorious array of sun splotches!  This was turning into one of the nicest mornings ever!

 

  I watched as the turtle grubbled around in the gravel.  Hmm?  It was after something but what?  My answer soon came as the turtle pulled out a fat earthworm!  Imagine that!  There were earthworms under the gravel IN the two inches of water!  The turtle happily munched the worm and started searching again.  How wonderful that the turtle was smart enough to search here.  Being able to watch my friend fill her belly made the morning a bit happier for me.  Rain storms or sun-dappled turtles, the Small Gardens abound in wonders.

Ham Is Not To Their Liking

   The conundrum of the starving, displaced critters is saddening but I can only do so much to help.  Thankfully, I have had to "clean out" one of the freezers as it is starting to go bad.  The freezer is old so this is just what I have been needing to get myself in gear and do a purge.  Instead of just tossing everything at one time, I have been doling the foodstuffs out over a series of days.  This is probably a bad idea as it draws critters like a magnet.  Still, since they are starving and the food is beyond its prime, it is helpful on both ends.  Last night saw me tossing some ham that had been in the freezer for some years.  It had gotten down under other things and was forgotten.  As I chopped the sliced ham in small portions, I figured that the coons would, at least, enjoy the meal.  I was wrong.

  Just before dark, I peeked out the door and found that four young raccoons (last year's litter) were nibbling birdseed.  Their round, little mama had obviously brought them to introduce them to a free meal.  She will soon abandon them while she has her next litter.  The youngsters will then be on their own...ready or not.  The coons, however, were not one bit interested in the ham.  It sat in the old pan untouched.  Wow!  That sure makes you wonder about the edibility of ham!  If coons won't eat it, something is amiss!  Coons eat just about anything!  (I am glad I do not eat meat.)  Nary a coon tasted the ham.  They kept  nibbling birdseed.

  A bit later, I peeked again and found that there was one critter that had no qualms about munching down the preservative laden ham.  A box turtle had made its way to the buffet and was right up in the pan enjoying the ham slices.  Go figure.  

  The coons are going to be in for a big surprise soon as the foodstuffs from the freezer are dwindling and soon the handouts will be scarce.  Hopefully, the youngsters will have enough sense to find their own meals from this point.  There are plenty of fiddler crabs and bull minnows just waiting to be caught so they had better learn to hunt real soon.  At least, my handouts will have given them something to munch in the meantime.  Sorry, my critter friends, the free ride is about to end.  Now go be a coon and not a wannabe pet.  The turtle, on the other hand, is welcome to stay in the gardens.

Ms. Penny

   It was another busy, busy day of shredding mulch for the garden and cutting grass.  After about 3 hours of this work, I needed a cooling glass of water and a bit of rest.  It was during that rest time that an old friend came by to visit.  Ms. Penny, the box turtle ambled out from under the front steps of the Little Bayou House where she has been in brumation since last November.  It was good to see my old friend.  I watched as she slowly ambled to the tiny Puddle Pond where she could get a long awaited drink and some lunch which mainly consisted of tadpoles.

  This turtle has been coming around for years and years.  She is gentle and friendly but not so much as the turtle that hangs around the Frog Pond.  That one literally begs for handouts and attention.  Ms. Penny is receptive of handouts as long as you set it on the ground and back away.  She does, however, clear the Puddle Pond of all tadpoles.  This afternoon, she was still circling the edge nipping the tiny tadpoles from the sides of the pond.  It saddens me to know that hundreds of tiny future frogs met their demise today but it is a fact of nature that predators will be predators.

  Ms. Penny made her way out of the pond and back under the steps for the evening.  Tomorrow, she most likely will go exploring in the Small Gardens then visit the pond again.  She is welcome to stay and is always a delightful visitor.

Going for a swim!

   Doctors' visits, errands and grocery shopping just about did me in for today.  Enough was enough.  I was ready to be home...back in my little domain where peace resides.  After a morning of being on the go and then a quick lunch, I headed to the Small Gardens to recuperate!  As Queen, I could lounge to my heart's content and there was nobody to see me being lazy.  Taking a book of the shelf, a glass of iced lemonade and, of course, my camera, I made myself comfortable in the big wicker chair.   With my feet propped up, it was time to relax...but the birds were having no part of that!  I had forgotten to feed them!  That would not do so bird seed was fetched and scattered on the flat top benches.  Just as I neared the Pebble Creek, something made a swirl in the waters of Puddle Pond.  Whoa!  Those tadpoles must have gotten huge overnight!

  Nope, a critter was, in fact, dining on those tadpoles!  A small box turtle was scooting around the mud bottom as she snared the soft creatures.  Well, here was nature being nature again.  As much as I love my little frogs, there were far too many tadpoles in the tiny Puddle Pond.  If they were going to grow to maturity, a few had to be eliminated.  The turtle was just thinning the crop.  I watched her for a few moments then settled in with my book.  

  Five chapters later, the turtle decided to climb out and come for a visit. She wandered right up to my chair and stared at me for a good bit before attempting to climb the steps to the french doors!  With the first step just a couple of inches higher than the doormat, the turtle was able to hoist herself up but that second step was just too high.  I suppose I will never know just why she wanted to go up the steps because she then tumbled down under the open step.   After a bit, I noticed she was nestled in among the potted plants for the evening.  I hope this little one stays in the garden.  I have enjoyed her visit tremendously!

Finding a friend along the path!

  Son took the time today to take me for a short hike about the hillside.  We did not go far but it was exhilarating for me to leave the confines of the small garden area.  As we walked, he and I talked of many things.  He allowed me to take all the time I wanted to explore the path that I have walked so many times before.  In just the ten days of my confinement, so many things have changed.  I wanted to see every, little thing!  Along the way, I spotted a box turtle making her way to the marsh edge.  We interrupted her journey for a few moments so I could photograph her and then Son squatted down to pet her.  Animals have this thing about him.  There seems to be a connection where they know he will never harm them.  I was touched to see the interaction and to hear him state that he was glad that I taught him to respect all nature but to fear none.  Dear, old mom is proud!

  Box turtles are interesting critters.  Most folks do not know that they can easily learn who will feed them and they will return whenever they wish to eat.  Son hand feeds several of the critters and they all seem to take special care never to bite him.

Some interesting facts about box turtles.

Box turtles have a domed carapace or upper shell.  Their lower shell or plastron is hinged so the box turtle can literally close like a box for protection.

Males are larger than females.  Males have red eyes whereas females have yellowish brown eyes.

Box turtles are diurnal meaning they are active during the day.  They are more prone to be out during the early morning hours or after a rain.

Box turtles will burrow under mulch or mud to escape the heat of the day.

Box turtles will eat just about anything they can find. They are omnivores meaning they eat both plants and other animals.  (Think worms, caterpillars, frogs and insects or anything else.)

If a box turtle falls on its back and cannot right itself, it will die.

The female box turtle buries her eggs.  She digs a hole and deposits 3 to 8 eggs.  The eggs hatch quicker in the south (around 70 days) than in the north (around 120 days).

Most baby box turtles fall prey to raccoons, fox, snakes, birds and other predators.  Only a few ever make it to maturity.

Box turtles can theoretically live to 100 years of age but most die before the age of 30.

A box turtle usually lives its entire life in a territory with a diameter of about 750 feet.  

  So, now you know a bit about our sweet box turtle friends.  They are rather neat critters and are actually a big help in the garden as they do eat a lot of pests.  An occasional tomato is a small price to pay.  

Helping The World One Turtle At A Time!

  Earlier today, I was working in the garden and Son was remodeling the shed when suddenly his work got really quiet.  Hmm, either he was pondering something difficult or had gotten distracted.  It is not like him to just quit working in the middle of a project.  After a bit, the curiosity got the best of me and I went to check on him.  Yep, he had gotten distracted...by a box turtle.  When I came through the garden gate, he was sitting on the shed deck and the little turtle was on the ground just looking up at him.  "I think she is hungry, Mom." he said.  This translated to , "Go find something for me to feed her."  I did.

  In the kitchen, there just happened to be a couple of apples sitting on the table.  Turtles like apples!  A quick slice and I was back out the door.  Son gently laid the apple within inches of the turtle's nose and she readily tried to eat.  For some reason, that turtle could not get a bite off of the chunk so Son picked up the apple and broke it into tiny pieces.  As soon as he went to place a piece down, the turtle came forward and took it from his fingers.  He snickered a bit and got another piece.  Same thing.  The turtle came forward and gently took the piece.  She tried to eat it all but dropped some.  In the meantime, he had another piece in hand and she left the morsel on the ground for the one in his hand.  Several times, she would patiently wait just looking at him until he broke another piece. Son sat hand-feeding a turtle for ten minutes.  One thing that I noticed about the turtle was that she was very, very careful not to bite Son as she took the morsel.  She cared enough not to harm the very one helping her. 

  While this may not seem like a momentous event to most folks, I found it endearing and appropriate for the day.  It is Earth Day, after all!  Be kind, folks.  It only takes a moment and could make a big difference.  Let's heal our old world.  It sure needs every helping hand it can get.

She Is Feeling Better!

  A little over a week ago, a longtime friend of Son's came to the Bayou.  We kept our "distancing" by staying outside.  I was running the weed trimmer and Son was repairing the lawnmowers.  Chris sat near the Frog Pond where he could still talk with Son.  Occasionally, I would stop to add my two cents worth to the conversation but mostly I buzzed away with the trimmer.  At one pause, Chris made mention that there was a turtle in the pond.  Ok, so there was nothing unusual about that other than the fact that turtles have a hard time climbing back out.  The sides of the little pond are steep and slippery.  In reality, I forgot about the turtle.

  Fast forward until today.  Yep, that turtle was still in the pond.  She was weary from swimming as the only place she could rest was on the waterlilies.  When I first saw her, she was skittish and went underwater but the second time, the small turtle came right up to my hand and allowed me to lift her from her predicament.  I was a hero!   I had just rescued a Bayou Friend! 

  After setting the turtle on the ground, she soon disappeared.  A bit later, a rustling in the leaves told me that the little one was hunting for food.  She obviously was starving!  Ok, second rescue time.  Since we were near the compost, I found a quick meal.  Fresh pineapple was on the menu!  Who knew that turtles love pineapple!  She immediately started ripping off pieces to eat.  Well, second course needed to be served. I am probably the only one who will go scrounging for food for a critter. Her next course was dewberries!  After a handful of those, the turtle needed a nap so she buried herself under the cool leaves and stayed put for nigh on two hours.  Later, she came back to munch a bit more pineapple and a bit of raw chicken liver.  

   Even though a lapse in memory left her in the pond longer than needed, the little box turtle seemed highly appreciative of the rescue and meals.

Then There Is This One...

  Critters are relatively smart beings.  Although they do not attend any school other than the "School of Hard Knocks", they usually do pretty well at figuring out what works and what does not.  Most animals learn from experience and it only takes once before they have something in their heads as the right thing.  Most animals...then there are those that have to be smacked by life a dozen times before they get the notion that something may be amiss.  (I know a certain dog that is either as hardheaded as a brickbat or has trouble learning things.)  Anyway, all in all, animals are pretty good at learning survival techniques.

  Then there is this one...a box turtle.  This rascal has decided that the little concrete Frog Pond is the perfect place to get a drink.  This does not bother me.  Most animals on the Bayou prefer fresh water and will often come either to the pond or the creek.  The turtle, however, seems to manage to get stuck in the pond.  Not being able to climb up the slippery slope has been problematic from the get-go for the turtle.  For the past few years, I have had to weekly pull the turtle out of the pond.  Yes, turtles like water.  Yes, they can survive as long as there is some method to come ashore occasionally.  Box turtles are actually members of the family of pond turtles but do need a bit of shore time (especially to lay eggs).  To remedy the stuck turtle problem, I decided to put several large pieces of driftwood in the pond to make a bridge to outer edge.  My resident turtle has yet to figure out how to climb the logs.  Next step was to make a stairs out of concrete pads leading up a gentle slope to the edge.  The turtle could not navigate the two inch incline.  Perhaps a series of potted plants with varying heights would encourage our (knuckle-headed) friend to climb out of the pond.  None worked.  No matter what I tried, the turtle stayed in the water swimming round and round the edge.  The weekly retrievals continued.

  This afternoon, Mark and I spied the turtle looking rather waterlogged yet again.  She was exhausted and allowed me to hoist her out of the murky waters.  Water poured from her shell.  When finally on dry ground, she hustled underneath the orange tree to dry off a bit.  Still, I have a feeling that come next week, I will see that little head poking out between the waterlilies and I will, once again, have to scoop her out.  She just never learns...or maybe I do not.  She may just be lazy and waits for me to lift her from the water.  It has become a comedic ritual.

I'm Here For Breakfast!

  I have heard that turtles return to the same area where they were born to lay their eggs, if at all possible.    Other than initially thinking that was rather neat, I never thought much more about it.  Then it occurred to me that this is a pretty incredible feat considering that it takes a good bit of memory.  Think of how places change from our point of view.  This must be astronomical in turtle's mind.  Every day, here on the Bayou, something changes.  Some of these changes are minor but others are pretty intense.  

  Just last week while I was raking, I found a tiny turtle that had obviously just hatched.  The little guy was still not strong enough to be flung out in the "wild blue yonder", so I carefully placed the little one back to where I assumed I had so rudely disturbed it.  Then I even put a good bunch of the old leaves back on top.  So a coon would not sniff out my little friend, I put some heavy driftwood pieces around the turtle to give it a sporting change at escape from any enemies.  I am happy to say that the little one survived and is now exploring the vast area under a non-used trailer.  

  Today, an adult turtle was prowling around the same place where I found the baby turtle.  I figure this is Mama Turtle and she has returned to lay another batch of eggs.  Of course, if one is highly sentimental, it might be said that she came back looking for her little ones.  Nope.  That did not happen.  Mama Turtle has no clue whether any of her eggs even hatched.  Once the egg-laying job is complete, she is on her way and never looks back....at least, not until it is time to lay again.  

  Whether today's turtle is the mama or even if it is female is beyond me.  The thought simply came due to the mention that they always return to the same egg-laying site.  On a happy note, box turtles do love apples!  I shared mine with the one today and it looked totally appreciative.  After the storms we had last night, I am sure the turtle was hungry.

A Use For The Mushrooms

  Finally, we have found a use for these thousands and thousands of mushrooms that keep popping up all over the hillside.  The nigh on daily rains of all summer have produced as myriad of mushrooms.  We have just about every size, shape and color growing everywhere!  I kept pondering just what was going to happen to all of these things and, finally, a use has been discovered.  It is now apparent that some of the 'shrooms are edible...at least, they are edible for turtles...or we have a very daring turtle...or a very stupid turtle...whatever.  

  Early this morning as we were walking to the pier, Mark called my attention to a box turtle munching away on a rather large mushroom.  The turtle looked at us for a moment and then continued his meal.  He seemed rather intent of finishing the mushroom before being interrupted.  So we let him be.  After we finished our walk to the pier, we checked once again and found that the turtle did, indeed, eat the entire mushroom but at this point, the critter was no where to be found.  That said, I sure hope that turtle knew what he was doing or he might be getting a bellyache!

  While I find the mushrooms interesting and some of them downright pretty, I have yet gotten the nerve to munch one.  I have no idea which are edible and which are poisonous so I will steer clear of the forest of fungus growing in the yard.  I will leave them for the critters!

Meet Virginia!

  Over the years, I have written a lot about the turtles and tortoises that roam the marshes, woods and creek bed.  It seems that the area is a favorite place for many different kinds.  Every type from snapping turtles to box turtles make their home here.  All this is good as the critters are some of the better ones to have around the place.  They eat a lot of things that would otherwise make the place not as comfortable.  They are not picky eaters for sure.  I have also written a lot about critter instincts and learned behaviors.  Our friendly turtles have both.  While some folks may make claims that "learned" behavior is pushing the limit when applying to turtles, I beg to differ.  They can and do learn.  It has been proven that turtles have long memories when it comes to feeding spots. They had to learn that spot before it could become a memory.

  Years ago, an elderly neighbor lady, Ms. Virginia, used to feed turtles that were in her yard.  She, too, lived near a bayou and had dozens of fine turtles.  Each morning, she would go to her back door to find many turtles had come to dine so she started buying containers of chicken livers to feed them.  She claimed that the livers were a favorite among the turtles but I never could quite understand how they might obtain those in the wild. Still, her turtle friends had learned to wait at the door until Ms. Virginia brought them breakfast.  After they ate, they would go on about their merry way until the next morning.  I was fortunate enough to "help" Ms. Virginia feed her turtles on several occasions when I was just a child.  It made a huge impression on me and was one of my lessons on respecting all critters.  

 My turtles, on the other hand, eat more fruit and veggies.  These are remnants from the garden and food preparation that are tossed into the compost pile.  Occasionally, there may be an odd piece of meat but, on a whole, the critters are on a vegetarian diet.  Among the several turtles that visit the compost on a daily basis, one is a nice sized box turtle.  This turtle has been around the Bayou for years and seems to appreciate the readily available foodstuffs that can be found in the compost.  Here recently, I have started calling it "Virginia" after the dear old lady from my childhood.  The idea behind this came from the fact that I recall that Ms. Virginia loved strawberries and this turtle seems to think that strawberries are a special treat.  While I am not too sure that Ms. Virginia would appreciate having a turtle named after her, I am quite sure that she would be pleased knowing that her lessons about respecting animals were remembered.

Disturbing the Process of Things

  With the sirens blasting their tornado warning, rain threatening to pelt down from the sky and lightning bouncing about the hillside, old Mr. PJ decided he absolutely NEEDED to go outside.  Ummm, no.  Not happening at the moment.  Sorry, my friend, but you will just have to hold it or go by yourself (which is also a no-go since he has started roaming).  The weather seems to play a huge part in the old dog's dealings with pain.  Arthritis is one of those things that seems worse at night and during inclement weather.  I can fully commiserate with PJ as my own bout of the evil stuff is flaring its ugly head.  So, we waited.

  Once the sirens and lightning stopped and before the torrential rains started, he and I made our way down along the marsh edge.  He did his business and I meandered around looking at the wildflowers.  As I edged close to a clump of palmettos, a slight rustling drew my attention.  Ok, so did my ambling alarm a bird?  A snake?  Or what?  Peering into the fronds, I found my answer.  A quite large box turtle peered back at me.  She seemed to be a bit antsy even though I backed away.  Pondering the turtle, it became clear about her "situation".  Most likely, this turtle was gravid and seeking a place to dig her nest site.  She wanted no onlookers at this point and my bumbling along probably upset her a bit.  

  By this time, the old dog had finished his business and the raindrops started to fall.  It was best that he and I head to the Little Bayou House....and quickly!  Tonight, the storms are raging.  High winds, torrential rains and lots of lightning.  The Bayou is rocking!  I hope Mama Turtle finds some shelter from the storm to lay her eggs in peace.

Something's Eyeing You!

  Just so folks do not begin to think that I am obsessed with frogs, even though I was playing in the Frog Pond with my little grand nephew, I found a new critter!  Jadiel and I were scooping out what he calls "fishpoles" when a rather large head popped up between the lily pads. We forgot all about the tadpoles and became more interested in our new friend.  A Box Turtle had made its way into the Frog Pond and found it rather difficult to climb back out.  The sides of the little pond are rather steep and slippery making it a difficult task for a poor turtle.  Unlike the frogs, the turtle cannot hop up on the pieces of driftwood that dot the edge.  Little Jadiel was quite concerned about the turtle and even offered to "jump in and rescue it".  This, I know, was more that he just wanted to take a dip in the water but I thought it was a rather nice offer.  I assured the little fellow the there was an easier way to help our friend.  

  We pulled a few more pieces of driftwood to the edge to make a bridge and then laid the water hose in the little pond.  A recent spate of dry days had lowered the water level tremendously and raising it would allow the turtle easier access to the edge.  In the meantime, though, we would just enjoy our new friend's presence and continue our quest in catching those "fishpoles".

  Although the Box Turtle is kin to Pond Turtles,  it is not fully accustomed to living only in water.  It is more likely to be found on dry land and will only enter the water occasionally.  Probably in this turtle's case, it was hunting for water or decided that the billion or so tadpoles in the pond were tasty.  Once in, the poor thing became trapped.  Now with our handy bridge and more water, the turtle should exit the pond on its own.  If it does not, Son will be called upon to extricate the critter and build a better exit ramp just for its future use.

Beating the Heat!

 The little Frog Pond is off-limits to Ms. Ez.  As much as the old dog would love to plunge right into the middle of it, I never know what critters might lurk just beneath the lily pads.  Toss one clumsy dog into the midst of a snake pit and there would be any sorts of terrible happenings.  She has accepted this well just like her being banned from swimming in the Bayou.  If she dared to take a dip there, she might just hobble out without a paw.  The alligators and snapping turtles do not take lightly to intruders in their domain.  She happily snoozes away the hot summer in her kiddie wading pool.  Others, however, are not banned from the Frog Pond.  Wild critters of all sorts wade, swim, lounge and generally make a mess of the pond but that is fine as it is set aside for them to do so.  

  This morning, I was out at daybreak picking the Boysenberries.  This is a necessity as the things ripen seemingly quicker than I can snatch them from the vines.  The little Frog Pond sits within just a few yards from the rows of berries giving me a bit of entertainment while I pick. The frogs croak and hop about from lily pad to lily pad and the occasional snake will slither about silently trying to catch the wily frogs.  This morning, though, something strange was in the pond.  Not necessarily strange to the water but rather strange in its actions of being in the water.  A Box Turtle was trying its best to exit the pond but was having difficulty climbing the steep sides.  Time after time, the turtle would attempt the climb but, time after time, it would fail. Although, Box Turtles are kin to the pond turtles, they much rather lumber around the yard than swim constantly.  What to do? What to do?  Why!  Rescue the turtle, of course!  From experience, I knew it was not an easy task to hand catch a turtle in a pond full of lily pads and water hyacinths.  They are fast!  A water hose is the best method of turtle extraction!  I slowly filled the pond just enough to let the turtle exit the pond on its own.  

  After our wayward turtle retreated from the water, I had to laugh out loud at it.  Wrapped around its nose was a long strand of Coontail.  That water plant was enough evidence that anyone should know where this turtle had been cooling itself.  The "Frog Pond Spa" is just the place for a relaxing dip AND a facial treatment!