Turtles

So apparently turtles like Granville County. More specifically, they prefer my yard.

THIS TURTLE

caught my eye while I was letting Bella out a couple weeks ago. It was on the far end of our yard, but was big enough to catch my eye. I ran down to take this picture while Cole was in his high chair eating breakfast to get a better look and take a picture. I have to be honest that I was scared of the turtle. The shell had to be at least a foot long. This picture was taken from a little ways back, zoomed in. I really was scared! A couple hours later when Kellen was taking his morning nap, Cole and I went outside to see if we could find the turtle. Sure enough, we found her (it didn't take much looking...she was bigger than the dog!)

For some reason she thought this plastic container of some sort looked like a comfy pillow to settle in on and do her heavy pushing. I couldn't figure out at first what she was doing, but then realized she was slowly (they really do move pretty darn slow) digging a hole with her back feet.


I certainly wouldn't say I'm super girly or prissy, but I will admit that I'm not really the nature type. I really was pretty disgusted with the turtle until I witness her laying eggs. No, I'm not going so far as to say that I felt connected to her with my child there beside me while she gave birth to hers. Sorry, I'm not that granola. It was pretty neat though. I mean, how can you not appreciate this...

I told you I got braver and made it in a little closer. And, yes (ahem) my camera is the bomb, capturing every retched detail of this beast. The eggs were pearly white and about the size of ping pong balls. Right about the time I was thinking to myself.... "I wonder if we are bothering her?" SPLATT! She accidentally crushed one of her eggs trying to move away from us. I took the, not-so-subtle hint and grabbed my chatty toddler and left her to her labor. "Turrul" was all he talked about all day. We did go back about an hour later to find this...

I couldn't believe how deliberate she was in burying the eggs and then spreading pinestraw and sticks to cover her tracks. She was on her way back to the creek. After talking to my nerdy husband (dont let him fool you, he's pretty smart) he informed me that she chose that spot on purpose because it is up hill from the creek and a pretty straight path, so when the turtles hatched and made their way to the surface they would naturally find their way, down hill, to the creek. Now, my maternal instincts kicked in and I think the turtle is pretty dumb. Number one, she chose to lay her eggs in the yard of a toddler and a crazy woman obsessed with her camera. Number two, that straight path to the creek is also the steepest spot from our yard to the creek, and very thick with pinestraw. Whatever, I'm not expert on turtle parenting. I am apparently no expert on people parenting either because my eldest son thought it would be fun to drag my youngest son across the floor on his blanket... At least he gave him a kiss afterwards.

Sorry for the blur, photos courtesy of Daddy (who by the way wins "Father Of The Year" for opting to take pictures rather than rescue his baby!) Wink. I like to pick on his photography skills, but check this one out. Good shot babe!

Now that size turtle I'm ok with. Cole liked him. Can you tell wardrobe this day was also courtesy of Daddy?

So just to prove my point...here are Justin's mad photography skills. Note a few key points. 1: My child has no head 2: The intended subject of this photo is the turtle, yes look closely he's there, lastly 3: photographers leg and hand are in the picture. Haha, ok I'm going to stop now.