Happy Easter

From a bare spot on the bank,
a few feet above the water of the pond,
where the afternoon sun warms the dark earth,
the remnants of several torn white shells.

Floating easily at the surface below,
after what must have been quite a tumble,
the tiniest turtle I have ever seen.


Barely born,
another old soul.

Let me look at you,
detain you,
for just one moment, marvel,
before I send you on your way.

Painted Turtle hatchling, Chrysemys picta

Painted Turtle hatchling, Chrysemys picta
shell just a bit larger than a dime

Painted Faces

Turtles basking on log across pond

A warm day brings us both out.
The shy turtle I spy from across the pond, from her log, instantly tumbles—a splash!
While I, too, crawl out onto my log of sorts, the small wooden dock extending into the water,
under the warmth of an afternoon sun.
Loving its warmth, we are not so different,
basking on this sunny afternoon.


Beside me, binoculars ready—to scout noses that break the smooth surface of the water.
One by one, each, so quick to turn with a flash beneath me, rises to float in the safety of the open space, far beyond my reach.


We crossed paths just yesterday,
walking slowly as we do, the warm ground soft beneath our feet.
And I stopped to wonder where she might be going,
her cumbersome steps barely forward.
That painted face I so seldom see, hidden within her muddied shell.
I think she thought me rude to sit and wait with her.

“May I help you?”
“Just looking.”

Painted Turtle, Chrysemys picta

From Wikipedia:
"Painted turtles bask because they cannot generate heat or regulate their own body temperature. Instead, they rely on heat from the sun to raise and maintain their body temperature at a level high enough for food in their stomachs to digest efficiently; about 65°F minimum."