So traditionally, Shelley, the grands and I clean up the garden and make sure all is at the ready for the festivities. Pruning back the huge crop of volunteer sunflowers and hollyhocks. Pulling the grass that insists on making it a meadow instead of a garden. And just making sure it all looks lovely for our summer party. The adult turtles were interested in us cleaning and watering and came to pay their respects......just in case we brought cantaloupe, apples, grapes or dog food. We have a respectable gathering of older ones and 2 of the three triples we showed you last year showed up for a feed as well.
Shelley is the chief weeder now as my knees have gone on hiatus and as she was giving an attitude adjustment to an unruly hollyhock, she happened across a baby turtle at the very base of the plant. We all squealed with delight at how tiny and miraculous he/she is with it's egg beak still intact. This young one probably hatched a month or so ago. Her name will of course be Holly, or his name will be Hocker.
Faery on dear ones and happy mid-summer, Litha, Summer Solstice. XOXOXO
Wow you have a lot of them! Your's do look different from the ones in my yard. I saw a new baby a few weeks ago, but haven't seen him since. Hope that he's okay! I did see the one born year before last. I threw a piece of bread out to Mama Lucy who was trucking across the yard & then later saw him finishing it off. I love my turtles!
ReplyDeleteOooooh Lindy...I want to find one in my garden!
ReplyDeleteYou is so lucky...he/she is beautiful :o)
Oh, what a wonderful surprise!!!
ReplyDeleteOh how sweet! I always find frogs, never turtles.
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious find! So adorable!! And I bet the garden is looking quite nice! :0)
ReplyDeleteoh what a cutie. only have my one big water turtle but would love to have some landies. the days are so long now and solstice is near. it always amazes me that we get out hottest weather as the days shorten.
ReplyDeleteI never find anything like that in my garden. You are so lucky to live where there are such wonders to be found in you own yard. I did see a little snake in mine last week. Since my knees are more like rusty hinges than functioning knee joints, I need someone like Shelly around here for reaching the things I can't. Think she'd like to come for a visit?
ReplyDeleteWe don't have turtles where I am! Just slugs and salamanders! What a wonderful find!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Aww, what a cute wee guy!
ReplyDeleteYou can tell it's the longest day of the year here, as the sky doesn't even get dark dark, just a rather dark royal blue (well, those bits not obscured by cloud!) It's quarter to 1 in the morning and it's getting light again!
Your descriptive prose is so beautiful and clear I can close my eyes and be there among all of you preparing for the festivities. You are so blessed to have these sweet turtles in your yard. They are too adorable.
ReplyDeleteYour entire preparation sounds like a magical fairy attraction. I know they are delighted and honored to be among your family. Happy solstice my dear friend!
What an adorable turtelette ;-) pretty markings and I love his/her name. How can you tell what sex it is? Will you have to wait till it matures?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your party! It sounds like it will be very much fun.
Too cute for words! I was going to send wishes for a magical summer, but "magic" has beat me to it :0) XO
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