Turtle Nesting Season

It’s nesting season for sea turtles

Since this is a blog that has turtles in the title, it’s only appropriate that I discuss turtles, other than the one I keep trying to pass at turtle speed.

There was a story in the local newspaper the other day about beach goers at Englewood Beach who discovered a loggerhead turtle nesting in broad daylight. Florida residents who live along the Gulf Coast know (or at least they should) that it’s turtle nesting season in Florida, from May 1 to Oct 31. Loggerhead turtles along with green sea turtles generally nest at night, so it was quite a sight for the people who discovered the activity and remained a respectful distance away.

Each year, the beaches along Manasota Key in Charlotte and Sarasota counties register record numbers of nests according to the counts kept by the Coastal Wildlife Club. So far this year, they have noted “1,017 loggerhead sea turtle nests, 12 green sea turtle nests and one verified Kemp’s ridley nest,” according to the story in the paper. The Kemp’s ridley is one of the rarest sea turtles, all of which are either threatened or endangered.

I’ve seen plenty of nests during my visits to the beach, which volunteers designate with yellow stakes and tape. And while I’ve never seen a loggerhead turtle in the wild, I have seen them at Mote Marine in Sarasota, a world-class research facility on ocean life. If you’re ever fortunate enough to visit Sarasota, this is one place to put on your tour list.

And along that vein, if you visit an area where these magnificent sea turtles nest, respect the area and don’t bother it. The nests face enough danger from natural predators like raccoons and fox. Then, when the hatchlings are born, it’s another struggle for them to reach the ocean; things as simple as an unshielded light on a condo can easily distract them on their journey to water. It’s not unusual to read stories each year of hatchlings that became confused and are found on a local road.

Okay, it’s raining outside today, so I don’t feel inclined to go outside and race that turtle. He can have the victory. That’s life at turtle speed.

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Nik Wallenda, Twitter and the Buckeyes

Nik Wallenda, Twitter and the Buckeyes

It’s easy to see the connection between Nik Wallenda and Twitter, and Twitter and The Ohio State Buckeyes. But come on, there’s no way the three are connected.

Well, yes, there is, and it wasn’t the biomedical person from Ohio State who was measuring Wallenda’s vital signs during his training sessions in Sarasota.

Nope, Twitter is the connecting thread between Nik Wallenda and the Buckeyes.

You see, despite the ten second delay in Sunday night’s telecast of Wallenda crossing the Grand Canyon, I wasn’t keen on watching the entire death-defying spectacle, although I have to admit it was awesome and I loved the scenic views of the canyon. So I took to Twitter, between glances at the TV screen, to see what others had to say. And it was there that I discovered Buckeye-world tweeting about the latest commitment to the team’s 2014 class, a speedy wide receiver from Indiana (Go Bucks!).

Long ago, in a time far past, the world we baby boomers knew was limited pretty much to our local newspaper, and whatever the only three broadcast channels we had brought us on the evening news. At that time, our attention would have been solely riveted on Wallenda’s daredevil stunt with no other distractions, save what might be happening in our own homes.

We’ve come a long way since the 1950s, and today the world is at our fingertips with IPads and IPhones. Information is constantly and instantly available. Sometimes I think it’s a good thing; other times, I yearn for the simpler days of the past. Anyone else feel the same?

Meanwhile, I see that turtle in my yard again, and it’s time to see if I can pass him. That’s life at turtle speed. Thanks for reading.

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Lab Trio

Lab Trio

For more years than I've been a writer, something like 30 years I guess, I've had another secret passion-cross stitching. Over the years, I've completed dozens of projects, some simple, others more complex taking me years to complete due to working a regular job. Now that I've retired from the regular work-day world, I have more time to engage in my passion.

A month or so ago, I finished a cross stitch project that I've owned for a few years, a kit called Lab Trio. The picture features the heads of a chocolate Lab, a black Lab and a golden Lab in that order. I'd started this project three years ago, when we suddenly lost one of our black Labs, Holly, to cancer, followed six weeks later by Tessa, our golden retriever, who simply died of old age. At that point, I had no heart to stitch this project and set it aside.

So, I've picked it up again and as I'm stitching, I'm recalling fond memories of life with Holly and Tessa, and even my old man, Scudder, our other black Lab who turns 16 this year. These guys have given me moments of fits (like the time I walked Scudder and Tessa together and they pulled me off my feet, dragging me into the street when they went after another dog) but the good moments far outweigh the bad ones. Like the time Holly indicated that her water bowl needed filling by taking a bottle of water and dumping it into the bowl, like she expected that to fill it like she’d seen my wife do (that dog was super smart). And now that Scudder is well into his golden years, I’m enjoying every precious day that I get to spend with him.

It's pleasurable memories like these that make cross stitching enjoyable for me...and who knows, there may be a story lurking within this pastime.

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Living Life at Turtle Speed

Living Life at Turtle Speed

June 1, 2013 passed without a blip on my mind, which is ironic because about two weeks earlier I'd realized the date was coming. The significance of that date--it marked two years since I entered retirement.

Well, I guess that's life at turtle speed. All the time in the world to do whatever I want (outside of the household chores), and moments of consequence just drift by. Welcome to Life at Turtle Speed, where I'll offer thoughts on aging (I'm 63 by the way) or other topics that catch my interest, plus comments on my cross stitching projects, and learning to sketch and paint with water colors.
That's it for now. There's a turtle racing through the yard and I need to see if I can pass him.

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