Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Jasper's New Friend: Terrapene Carolina Carolina

On Monday morning, Tiny Girl glanced out the kitchen window and gasped.  "Jasper's got a turtle!"  We all headed outside, and I grabbed my camera.

Jasper had indeed found a turtle.  An Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina), to be precise.


He barked at it a few times, and then pawed at the poor thing's carapace, while the turtle glared at us from inside its safe zone.  Being a puppy, Jasper quickly lost interest, but we did not.  Tiny Girl picked it up to better observe it (Miss Priss declined to touch it), and, instead of staying put, the turtle extended its head and appendages for us to see.


Then we carried the turtle outside our fence so it could go about its business in peace.

This is how nature study tends to happen at our house.  If I try to orchestrate something, it fails miserably.  But when it happens spontaneously -- and especially if it interrupts the usual lessons -- we all have a great time.

4 comments:

  1. How cool!

    Now, how can I organise some wildlife to come visiting me? Will you have a word is terrapin's ear for me - any aussie friends?

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  2. You ALWAYS make me laugh laugh laugh...What a name, I thought you just named her like that, I love Carolina, Carolina...
    Well, Jasper is a box full of surprises, he knows you'll need nature studies and he's helping you with that, so I understand him.

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  3. What fun! Would you be willing to submit this one to the Classical Homeschooling Carnival?

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