A Wonderful Time Of Year

Here I sit in the office, working on the confuser, a.k.a. computer, when I catch a glimpse of a mess-o-geese. Now, this isn't the mess-o-geese we normally see, those that are making a mess-o-my-lawn. Rather, it's the first goose family of the year, with mama, papa and 6 little ones. What a sight to see!

Here, in our own version of paradise, we're very fortunate to witness many instances of new-borns every spring. Everything from ducks to geese to swans, and even the resident house wrens that are nestled in a knot-hole in the garage siding. We don't see many rabbits any more, though. We're not sure whether it's due to an increased coyote population, or just the neighborhood cats... I do miss the little cotton tails.

One spring-time episode I'll never forget: we had just moved here in August of '86, so it was the spring of '87 when I saw a turtle walking away from the lake, through our yard towards the upper part of the lot, some 280 feet away. I figured he must have been loony-tunes so I helped him out by picking him up and turning him 180° so he was headed back down toward the water. He immediately turned 180° and headed back up the hill.

Well, I did that 2 or 3 more times, (what do they say is the definition of insanity?) till the neighbor came over and told me that my turtle friend wasn't even a HE. He was a she, and she was doing what typical water turtles do, and have done for ions, heading to a safe place on land to deposit their eggs.

It was a good lesson, one I have never forgotten, and one that has been beneficial to both me, and turtles. I've learned to let mother nature have her way because no one can fool mother nature, not even a transplanted land-lubber from Ohio.

Enjoy the wonderful spring...