I look out into the yard from the kitchen window and see a dark mass. Grabbing my glasses and then the binoculars, I strain to see. I finally determine it is moving. Is it a baby deer or a beaver? And then I see her- a large turtle- a big one. A turtle in the yard.
My husband and I go down to the backyard edge to explore and we see the turtle digging a hole.
A precious mama turtle.
The morning is already 80 degrees. Should be a beauty today!
A mama turtle is in the backyard. Near where the grass meets the natural spring digging the Georgia red clay dirt.
However, she stops, as I approach her to take this endearing photo.
Therefore, I remind myself, “Leave her alone as she needs to dig her hole and lay her eggs.”
This is a quiet private birth.
But then two large blackbirds land nearby. They watch her for a moment, snoop around the perimeter of the backwoods swamp, and fly off or so they seem to.
So, we leave her be – to lay her eggs.
Then our neighbor confirms, “It’s a Snapping Turtle laying eggs.”
Wondering, will the eggs make it through our neighbor’s lawn mowing or the suspicious birds?
We comfort ourselves knowing that we have lots of turtles in our ponds and lakes. Plus, as my husband points out turtles have been around for a long time.
But I do hope these little ones make it through.
How blessed are we to have a yard for these dear creatures? And a turtle in the yard at her special time?
When I again check on her, I see she is still there. It has now been over four hours since I first noticed her.
At 12:30 we notice the Snapping Turtle is gone. Then the blackbirds return. But soon they fly off.
Later, we visit the turtle birthing site. Afraid that we will find some kind of carnage. To our surprise, there was only a small hole disturbing the nest. Probably by a beak.
We conclude that this was a smart turtle and that she most likely laid her eggs in a deep hole. When the bird pecked around and didn’t immediately find eggs it flew off for a meal elsewhere.
We know that the baby turtles will still have a difficult journey when they hatch and run for the protection of the spring and its overgrown bushes.
Leaving the house for an early evening walk, I notice honey bees on the grasses. My husband says it’s a Southern thing watching bees on clover.
And off we go to walk the paths winding through woods hoping to see more adventures of the animals.
Most of all they are God’s specially made creatures just as we are.
God’s Love For Animals –
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:25 KJV)
In Whose Hand Is The Soul Of Every Living Thing?
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:7-10 KJV)
God’s Covenant For Every Living Creature –
And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. (Genesis 9:9-10 KJV)
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