Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Garden Visitor



The other day I had put Trixie Lou McMuttsley outside, only to have to go back out after her to hush her incessant barking.  She had found this guy?lady? lurking in the depths of the daylilly foliage between our driveway and our neighbor's driveway.


Look at the bright orange markings on this eastern box turtle's legs!  I have found box turtles before (last year there was one in our yard), but I have never seen one with such bright orange on the legs.  I am guessing this is probably a male, since nature usually favors more subdued, camouflaging colors on females for the safety of the species, and he seemed to be on a mission.  I picked him up and found him a nice spot under my blueberry bushes in the back yard.




Then on Sunday my husband found him heading to the other neighbor's yard under the fence, and moved him back to a "better" place.  However, yesterday that neighbor had the fence torn down between our yards to replace it, so now there is no fence, their fence builders are committing "crape murder" (cutting the crape myrtles down to nubs -- which at this late date probably means no blooms this year) and otherwise demolishing their landscaping.  I hope this turtle with a mission to head north manages to avoid the generalized mayhem and destruction over there, as well as their swimming pool!

Linked to Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage; Show Off Your Cottage at The House in the Roses; Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life

4 comments:

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

That's a cute visitor to your yard. Several years ago we had a large snapping turtle turn up in our yard but didn't stay long. When they're on a journey, nothing stops them.
My dog would go crazy too with something lurking in the foliage.

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

Hope your rash is getting better!

How neat that you had a turtle in your yard! We had one many years ago and I have no idea how he got here or where he went.

Geneva said...

We can't wait to have a turtle visit our yard...or even frogs. Your garden must be luscious ... it would be to his advantage to make his home there I'm sure. ":o)
Blessings!
Geneva

Kathy said...

Oh how precious! We don't have turtles - but I do love the frogs! They're a garden's best friend! Thank you for sharing this sweet post with Home and Garden Thursday,
Kathy