Turtles, turtles and more turtles!

We went to the Natural History Museum in Philadelphia, PA recently.  They have many exhibits featuring dinosaur bones and such.  But they also have live turtles, bugs, honey bees and butterflies!

The honey bees actually had a hive indoors with an access door through a window to the outside so they could do their business.  The hive was in a glass enclosure which made the hive visible for viewing the inner workings.  The butterflies had a habitat that you could walk through to see them in their natural state.

The turtles were really cool.  We saw an Eastern Box Turtle a Yellow Bellied Slider and a  Diamond-Backed Terrapin.  We had a great day and they were a joy to visit.  Here are some pictures of the turtles.  Do you know what the unnamed turtle is?

Yellow Bellied Slider

Do you know what I am?

Diamondback Terrapin

Diamondback Terrapin

Diamondback Terrapin

Eastern Box Turtle

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One Lovely Blog Award

I am happy to announce that I have received my first blog award nomination.  A great big thank you goes out to clanmother for noticing me and awarding me with this nomination!

I understand there are three rules to accepting a One Lovely Blog Award:

Give credit to the awesome person who nominated you, describe 7 things about yourself, and nominate 15 other bloggers.

Seven things about me:

1.) In case you haven’t noticed, I like frogs and turtles

2.) I am married and a father of two boys

3.) I am one of five children

4.) I am a jack of all trades and master of none.

5.) I am a glass is half full person

6.) I like bugs, but not spiders.

7.) I promise myself I will stop procrastinating…tomorrow!

Thanks again to all who follow and read/view my blog!

Turtle Tales

I recently read a story about an 80-year-old man who found a turtle on his property.  When he picked up the turtle, he found a date back in 1965 and the initials of his then 13-year-old son carved into the bottom of the shell.  Apparently, the 13-year-old boy had previously found the turtle and left his mark in hopes of someday finding the turtle again.  The father called his now 60-year-old son and told him of his find.  He kept the turtle a few days and then let it go.  (This picture is not the actual turtle.  The actual turtle has more wrinkles and sun spots!)

By the way, eastern box turtles often live to 50 years and can live to be 100!

I had a friend when I was his age, 13 not 60, who lived in a house that backed to a creek.  It was a tidal creek and we found many critters there such as snakes, fish, frogs and turtles.  My friend had tanks in his basement with heat lamps, pumps, filters and various types of food, like mice for the snakes.  He would catch and keep any creature that was slower moving than he was!  I though that was really cool.  Looking back, it was really cool.  I wonder what he is doing today? I now have a son who is 13.  He has a tank and likes to catch and keep whatever he finds.  The only rule is that we let it go after a couple of days.  He doesn’t like the rule, but if he wants to catch them, he has to release them.

Does anyone else have any memories or experiences like these?  Do you have an outdoor child, boy or girl, who likes to catch things?  How do you feel about it?