Once upon a time, this morning actually, in an idyllic wooded wetlands just beyond suburbia, Tom and Henny Turkey waltzed through the verdant meadow, sampling tasty spring treats and thinking about love.Â
Handsome Tom
Tom strolled and strutted, garbed in his best feathers and puffed to perfection … or so he thought.
Henny — The Femme Fatale
Gorgeous, irresistable Henny pecked through grasses and wild flowers, absorbed in the beauty of the day and enjoying the amorous attention of handsome Tom.
The Home Wrecker — Unattainable Perfection
Then, out of the blue, fickle Henny spots an image of absolute perfection. She leaves Tom in the dust as she checks out this unbelievably beautiful creature, who in some mystical and unexpainable way reminds Henny almost of herself.Â
Traycie gets up close and personal with a baby painted turtle during the “Turtles Gone Wild” extravaganza at the Wareham Free Library on Thursday evening, May 3rd.
Don Lewis — The Turtleguy
Families, friends, neighbors, conservationists, naturalists and curious guests filled seats set up and arranged in advance by staff of the library, Mass Audubon and Wareham Lands Trust; all sponsors of the event.
The Turtle Journal Team played to a full and eager house of kids of all ages. As with all Turtle Journal presentations, the real excitement of the night was driven by the chance for people to engage with nature virtually through captivating imagery and physically through the presence of live specimens … in moments that can only be termed as “transformational.”
What is it that turtles do?
Turtles Stir Awe
Turtles Bring Families Together
Turtles Spark Surprise
Turtles Offer Peaceful Reflection
Turtles Make Lifelong Friends
Turtles Inspire Dreams
Turtles Spur Discovery
Turtles Build Community
And, yes; turtles build communities. When these special critters are discovered, neighbors come together first to learn about them, then to save their very own local species. In that simple act, communities are formed and strengthened, and a conservation ethos ensures a more natural neighborhood. Pictured immediately above is Cat Honkenen who has been documenting the endangered Northern Red-Bellied Cooter that she discovered in her local pond; see Endangered Red-Bellied Cooters Emerge in Wareham. She and her neighbors are now organizing to identify and protect nesting locations, and to ensure their local population is preserved.
