Really the only downside of where we live is that we don't own it. We're renting.
We live in the middle of nowhere, half a mile down a gravel road into the woods. Most people freak out the first time they visit us. (This also makes it difficult/frustrating to sell things on Craig's List.)
We're surrounded by all sorts of wildlife. But they're in their natural habitats. So we're able to observe them without them being a nuisance. While a deer or two can wreak havoc on a suburban neighborhood, our herd of fourteen deer rarely bother us. They may graze on the lawn grass, but barely touch our garden because they have plenty of natural ways to feed themselves.
Some of the other wildlife we see regularly (or at least see signs of) include moles, foxes, coyote, great blue herons, blue jays, cardinals, osprey, squirrels, field mice, snakes, dragonflies, butterflies, bats and bald eagles. We live on the peninsula where they purchased land to become a park in order to protect the nesting place of bald eagles. One has nested on the next ridge over from where we live.
When it rains we see even more animals! Turtles, frogs, earthworms, more dragonflies.
Let me repeat myself, I love where we live!
Well, last night it rained! As I was taking our dog Chewy out this morning, we saw that there was a turtle in the middle of the road. They like to come out into the middle of the road a lot after it rains. And sadly, we have found more crushed turtles on the road after a rain storm than anyone ever should. So generally, we try to move them out of the road when we find them.
Well, this morning I was in a particularly silly mood and decided to bring my husband a little turtle wake up call. I brought the turtle back to the house. You would be surprised just how much liquid a little turtle can hold! She peed on me TWICE on the way to the house...ha ha! And farted once. I never knew turtles could fart. And yes, she was a girl, you'll find out how I knew later.
Unfortunately, my husband was already up and about when I got back and made me release her into the bushes outside our apartment. And we left to run a few errands. When we returned, my husband declared there was a turtle in our way! So we stopped and discovered that in fact there were TWO turtles in our way...and they were mating!
Sure enough, a male turtle had crawled up the hill behind our apartment to find the turtle I'd brought over and decided to make some little turtles babies! Some of your may find this disgusting and possibly disturbing. But I found it very interesting and mildly entertaining. So I had to go grab my camera and document it!
It was a really exciting two minutes, because about thirty seconds after I took this photo, the male finished his business, rolled over and quickly trotted back down the hill.
So while I generally avoid meddling in the matchmaking a humans, today I am proud to declare myself an expert matchmaker of turtles! ;-)
~ Barely Beginning
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