We’re closing the month of June on a HOT note in New Hampshire. It’s really uncomfortable and really steamy with temperatures hovering around 92-93° today. But no matter the temperature, I had a chore to tackle in the garden that couldn’t wait for cooler temperatures. Several rolls of sod were waiting to be installed in an area we’re revamping due to construction here. Today we needed to get those rolls positioned and watered well…. heat wave or not.
Just as the some sections were in place and about to be tightened up, our first visitor arrived. Ferdinand, the last surviving bunny in the neighborhood and a welcome little friend, arrived for his twice daily visit. He hopped along the seam between sod sections.
He’s still a wild bunny. We have never approached him and he would hop away if we did. But he visits daily and he sits nearby and watches our activity in the yard. We’d like to think he comes to visit us but it’s probably our crop of juicy clover that’s the biggest draw.
While bunny nibbled the clover and watched me cut sod, I spied a second visitor, a tiny newly hatched eastern painted turtle, no bigger than a quarter, shell still quite soft. The top shell or carapace was olive-green on this little guy. He had a pale yellow stripe down the middle of the shell and reddish-orange markings around the edge.
The bottom shell or plastron was a solid yellow.
Our yard was not the best location for this little fellow. Our small community is surrounded by wetland and ponds but a turtle this size would probably find himself beneath a lawn mower or auto tire before he could find any water. They’ve built this neighborhood right where the turtles have probably always laid their eggs. I’ve marked off and added signage to protect one turtle’s egg site and today I helped an adult turtle in the middle of the road reach the road berm (in the same direction it was heading). Sadly, turtles often don’t make the road crossing successfully.
I put the tiny turtle in a container in the shade, added water, rocks, floating leaves, and a conch shell to hide in while I finished cutting and laying the sod. He actually swam, nibbled on algae and seemed to have a jolly time. All the while, I had to fight the urge to keep him as a pet… I’d kept my share as a kid… but after an hour or so, decided to release him in a slow-moving stream close by.
As June ends on a hot note, July will start off on a hot note tomorrow. We have an excessive heat advisory for the next several days stretching well into the week. Hot yes but it won’t keep us indoors… and who knows, we may have more critters visit our little stretch of land.
That ‘bunny’ looks almost like a jackrabbit with shorter ears! Don’t they do some serious damage? Even small bunnies seem to eat a lot!
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My hubby was in CA last summer and took photos of jackrabbits with their incredible ears and long legs. Wow! Our smaller bunny, the eastern cottontail, was introduced to this area and now the most common rabbit species by far. They outnumber the native New England cottontail that biologists are trying to save. The most annoying thing our bunny does is sample a stem or two of a plant but thank goodness he prefers clover.
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I like your visitors. Be safe in the heat. Cheers
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I grew up with the heat and humidity in Virginia and hated it. Thank goodness this weather pattern should blow through after a week.
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Yes, it’s more of a temporary thing here. Cheers
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It’s always nice to have friends stop by, and I like yours. 🙂 We thought we had left this type of heat and humidity in the midwest about 15 years ago, but I guess not. Our raspberries are loving it though.
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And I thought I’d left this weather in Virginia. I love not depending on the air conditioner in New Hampshire but might end up using it this week.
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I have mine on to get the humidity out. Heat is one thing, humidity is another, and since it says it is going to ‘feel like’ 105 mid afternoon, I think it will stay on. 🙂
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It’s hot here. I’m glad to see you are still gardening. I miss seeing you and marv.
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Your weather is Virginia Sticky. I miss everyone there 😘 but I definitely don’t miss the sticky summers!
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I love the little turtle! He’s so tiny!
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Let’s hope the little guy can get size on him before he meets a hungry snapping turtle, a crow, or snake, etc.
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Oh my goodness that little turtle!! Glad you’re looking out for him 🙂
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Love that baby Eastern painted turtle. I wish it a good life.
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What an interesting post. You win the Myrtle the Purple Turtle award today for your helping care of the turtles in your neighbourhood! Brava!
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Thank you, Cynthia. That’s a very special award indeed!
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