and damned if it wasn't another turtle.
Ever since a few years back when the our returning grande dame was squashed we have been turtle defenders 'round here - holding up traffic and standing boldly in the road, prodding the beasties across to grass and safety.
Something about their funny gait and obvious uncomfortable movements out of the water makes me feel tender towards them, like children learning to walk. They hitch and bob from side to side just like the chilluns did, spreading their feet wide and blinking owlishly to determine if you're fish or foe.
(Not that my kids can catch fish with their mouths. If they could this blog would be *all kinds* of different interesting, and feature the circus prominently.)
We talked about how their (wicked) stubby-sharp claws work hard to pull their big bodies back to the reeds and pools of the riverbank, where they dig happily in the mud and use those same claws to gracefully propel themselves through the water, and how we feel at home on land and the turtle feels at home floating in the current.
Then Cass's voice turned slightly wistful and he mentioned the old turtle and how much bigger she was than this one.
(It astounds me that no matter how hard I try to shape my kids' lives with happy experiences, the negative ones -and all they learned from them- linger on so completely, ready to be recalled at a moment's notice.)
And I hugged him and told him that maybe, just maybe, this turtle was one of 'our' turtle's babies. That turtles return home to the site where they were hatched, and lay new eggs. (And now I've got to go google turtles, as I have no idea if they all do that or if the homing instinct is only apparent in sea turtles.)
We left the new turtle contemplating the flowers in my neighbor's yard. It's a short push from there to the river, and she should be fine there, as long as she doesn't go back across the road.
When we entered the gym Cass ran over to his friends and told them 'I saved a turtle!'
(I'm buying him a red cape later.)
13 comments:
NEAT POST! Good job with the turtle. It's never too early to teach youngsters respect for the animal kingdom. Good mom!
Awww...and we'll see pictures of the red cape?
I think your boy is very tender-hearted. Way to save the turtle Cass-man.
My husband will stop the car on a busy road and help escort a turtle to the other side. Or just pick him/her up and do the job for him/her.
You can call him "Turtle Defender Man" ;)
Cass...
They are shadows of each other, aren't these, the tender ones? I love this. I'm so happy to come here always.
Traffic is held up for turtles around here and there are several turtle crossing signs, some very official road signs and some sweet ones that look hand painted by kids.
We pulled over last week to carry a turtle across the busy county road. As soon as I picked it up, it peed on me. I carried it across the road, flanked by the girls, and set it down beside the stream in the ditch.
All evening long, the girls talked about the turtle. Did they remark on the shape and smoothness of its shell? Did they remark on the length of its neck as it stood beside the road, gauging its chances against the traffic? Did they discuss his rough feet and unexpected toenails? Nope. All they could do was giggle and say, "Did you see him pee on Mommy?"
I'm sure Cass will remember this turtle as well as the dear departed one.
Oh lordy, we did that -- turtle prodding --in Florida, but it was a snapping turtle and it was SO fast, it almost took my husband fingers off!
I would have thought turtle prodding would be a GOOD karma thing...
yay for Cass!
I love turtles! Your little guy will make a lady very happy some day with his soft heart.
That is awesome. We have a local turtle crusader. She spearheaded a fund raising campaign and puts up Turtle crossing signs on many of the roads that skirt our water ways and swamps here in Ottawa.
Turtles - especially great big ones - always remind me of the dinosaur days. (Not that I was alive then, of course...) Aren't they supposed to be the last "remnants" of dinosaurs?
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