He was lost again...then finally found

Since Friday night around 9pm I've been on a virtual turtle hunt again. One of the remaining three escaped again. I hunted til 2am the first night; I had to be up at 5am to work a 7am shift. Before I left for work I layed plates of water out thinking I could trick Mr Painted turtle to come out. No dice. Came home Sat. around 2pm and did a quick search; still nothing. I packed a bag for an overniter with the girlfriend up at her sister's camp in Emporium and headed out. (I'll fill you in later about the trip) Came home last night around 10pm and did another search. Room to room, moved cabinets and dressers and still no turtle. Then today! I came home and tore the place apart. Still a turtle no show, until 8pm tonight. I went to the laundry room (same room where two weeks ago I had a MIA turtle) and was grabbing a loaf of bread from a bag on the floor and low and behold the little sucker was out. Dry as can be but alive! I can only assume he crawl up inside the side of the washer, where the belts were and when I just did a load of clothes he fell down to the floor and crawl out. Lucky him, I had just bought some air freshners just encase he had died and with this heat I'm sure he would have caused a stink. So right now he's eating. He seems very happy to be back in water. The following pictures can be enlarge just by clicking on them and by clicking a second time they get alittle bigger. I've decided to release the last three remaining turtles this weekend when the Lover comes for a visit......

Could you miss seeing this turtle? 

The size of the turtle as you can see is 31/2 inches. 

In the palm of my hand. 

Bottom of one of the two turtles that I still have. 

This one is camera shy. 

Turtle on carpet in liviing room. How can you miss him? 

Click on each picture to enlarge. This buck is going to be at least an eight point. He feeds every morning and evening on apples that have dropped early. It seems not to mind me at all when I'm on the back porch. I guess when you're hungry, nothing else matters.  

Just looking around. 

Darn dish! This would have been a nice picture. 

He sees me. 

Oh where or where can my little turtle be?

Ok, you all know that I have three painted turtles left. The other four I released last Sunday. This evening when I went to feed the three, low and behold one was missing! A turtle on the loose in the house. When did he made his big break? All were in their container this morning. The big break out had to happen when I was out mowing the lawn. So I fed the other two and went on to search for the missing turtle. Flash light in hand and a yard stick, just incase the lost turtle was under a dresser in the bedrooms. Nope, not in either bedroom, not in the liviing room or the bathroom, or the dining room or the sunroom or the computer room but I did find him in the laundry room. He had fuzzies from the tip of his nose to his tail. He was sideways between the wall and the side of a cabinet. I didn't take a picture of his because I put him in the kitchen sink, under the faucet to get the fuzzies off of him. Then I left the faucet on a trickle and he stood under it for awhile. Then I put him in to feed. I bet he won't do that again. Now he's happy being back with his brothers or sisters, but I think they are all males. Painted turtle males are smaller than females. And I left all the bigger ones go to the pond. Maybe this turtle wants returned to the wild also? I have to decided if I want to release the three remaining turtles. What's your opinion, folks? Should I or shouldn't I?

Waiting to cross the road

Four point buck, still in velvet
by the road waiting to cross when the
next car comes down the road. That
just what he did too. On Wednesday
night I saw a mother and 2 fawns in the
backyard. She was stomping her feet and
looking behind herself. All of a sudden a
huge black bear came out; she and the fawns
scammered away. The bear just moved like he owned the yard. Which he does when he's here! By the time I got outside he was way out in the back and the picture I took, well he's in it. Can you see him.

Saturday's Supper

It was soooo goood!
All I crave now is a fresh
garden tomato... and a
cucumber.

Hellish Heat and Gas Prices!!

The heat has been unbearable so far this week.. Mix it with the gas prices $2.99.9 a gallon and Dlaine has turned bitchy! Seems when you get ahead a little; something comes up to set you back a step or two. Why work overtime? The US Gov just takes more! Maybe its time to check out relief aid! They'll pay for gas; get me a job where a person can make a decent living and feed me; all at once till I'm back on solid ground. Dlaine needs a vacation!!!

The Carp swimming close to the bank of the pond. It's 93 degrees out today. I wish I was in the water. 

The carp in the bigger pond. 

There's one! Enlarge the pic. To the right of the branch in the water you'll see a circle with something in it. That something is one of the turtles! 

I'm no carpenter folks; but it floats. Made with styrofoam and lathe, nails and superglue. Done in a hurry. I amaze myself sometimes. So Lover what do you think about it? Or anybody else's thoughts? 

Making his way into the pond. This turle was the last one in. The other three were gone in a flash. 

The other three also headed straight for the water. How fast the natural instincts took over. 

This one beats feet to the water. 

Turtle No.1. All turtles can be recognized by their Plastron's. Everyone is different. So if I see them again I'll know it was one that we raised. All Painted Turles released today were four inches long and three inches in width. 

Turtle No.2 

turtle No. 3 

Turtle No. 4 

The four are gone....

Heres a pic of the four right before
I put them in the grass near the pond.
Instinct took over and they beat feet
to water. More pics later...I made a floating
dock for them and I want to place it
in the pond so they can bask in the sun.
Later all...

Its been a tough day.. 

Released Delayed...

Slight delay in turtle release....its now earmarked for Sunday. Releaser not feeling too good!

Letting go..

Tomorrow I'm releasing four of the seven Painted Turtles to their natural habitat.(the small pond)
The lover and I have had them since their hatching last September (2005). It time for them to be on their own. We've given them a good start on life. I'll post pictures of the release sometime tomorrow night. Had a very busy week at work; most evenings didn't get home till 7:30pm. Makes for a long old day when you leave at 7:30am. Still not sleeping; dark circles are beginning to show. My back is 90% better; still wary of how I lift, turn and put on my socks. I'm sure in time it will become a problem. Well I best go and get camera and tripod ready for tomorrow. Night all...

Cute cartoon.