Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Kiss of the Turtle

Rock formation in the Seychelle Islands - a nice place to start a new year, eh?

Let's go.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Lapis Lady

A treat from a museum in Mexico, carved from lapis lazuli (the funnest words around!):

Love the little babies all over her!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Healing Vibes for Colonel Meow

Feline World Leader Col. Meow has taken ill and all terps are required to slow down and meditate on well wishes for our feline commander-in-chief.

Visit Colonel Meow and wish him well.






Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Friday, October 4, 2013

Monday, September 30, 2013

Sunset Treat

Nothing sweeter than a lovely sunset with a little sweet treat. This Mama is good to me and yes, life is pretty darn lavish.


Friday, September 20, 2013

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

My Cousin: The Diamondback Terrapin


The Diamondback Terrapin can be found in brackish waters from Cape Cod to Texas along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, including the Floriday Keys.

Named for the diamond patterns on its top shell, with scutes that bear deep, diamond-shaped growth rings. The top shell is light brown, gray, or black; the bottom shell ranges from yellow to olive. Black spots and wiggly marks, in a pattern unique to each turtle, appear on the reptile's whitish skin. The shell size of the male averages 5 inches. The female is larger than the male, with shell size averaging 7.5 inches.




In the summer, they move from marsh creeks onto beaches and dunes to lay their pinkish-white eggs in 6-inch-deep nests in the sand. After 60 - 120 days, the inch-long hatchlings emerge from the nest and enter the nearest water.

While the diamondback terrapin eats snails, clams, crabs, and some marsh plants, the reptile's population was decimated in the 1700s and 1800s because its meat was considered such a delicacy - the chief ingredient in terrapin soup. While protective legislation is now in place, the terrapin's population has a long way to go to rebound from previous overharvesting.







Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Call Me Handsome

There is something to be said for a good turtle-waxing! Look how handsome I polish up!


Tuesday, August 20, 2013