Willow and I ventured to the park Monday morning to feed the ducks some leftover pancakes from the weekend. When we arrived, nary a duck was in sight, but we made do with what we had: little and big fishes and little and big turtles. The ducks missed all the fun.
Actually, I was going to hold on to the pancakes for another day when I spotted a behemoth of a turtle near the shore at the bottom of the pond we were at. This guy was huge, and he had a big head. I threw a piece of a pancake his way, and the fish (that were nowhere in sight when I pitched the hotcake) mobbed the food. The swarm captured the turtle's attention too, and he slowly rose to the surface.
I can't say for sure what kind of turtle it was, but it sure looked like the huge alligator snapping turtles I've seen in aquariums (with the pointy shells and the big head and beak).
Before long, the turtle was snapping up whatever came close to him, snatching pancake bits (and tiny fishes) from the surface of the water, and he did so with the flashing neck stretch and mouth snap I envision when I think of snapping turtles (though I'd never seen one in action until this day). Soon other turtles, including two more snapping turtles, joined the feast.
Willow enjoyed the fray, but I think she enjoyed the frenzied fish splashing around at the top of the water more than the big turtles. I liked the turtles best.
After I handled the pancake-pitching duties for a while, I handed Willow a few pieces to try to throw into the pond. She ate them (sometimes with more ferocity than the snapping turtles). SNAP! GULP!
When we'd finished feeding the fish and turtles, Willow hopped in her wagon, and I pulled her once around the little, half-mile path I like to walk on sometimes.
When we got back around to the pond, the ducks had arrived.
Too late, little duckies, too late.
But even if they missed their treat, Willow didn't miss hers. I pulled her from the wagon, and she screeched "DOUGS" before taking off after them.
Actually, I was going to hold on to the pancakes for another day when I spotted a behemoth of a turtle near the shore at the bottom of the pond we were at. This guy was huge, and he had a big head. I threw a piece of a pancake his way, and the fish (that were nowhere in sight when I pitched the hotcake) mobbed the food. The swarm captured the turtle's attention too, and he slowly rose to the surface.
I can't say for sure what kind of turtle it was, but it sure looked like the huge alligator snapping turtles I've seen in aquariums (with the pointy shells and the big head and beak).
Before long, the turtle was snapping up whatever came close to him, snatching pancake bits (and tiny fishes) from the surface of the water, and he did so with the flashing neck stretch and mouth snap I envision when I think of snapping turtles (though I'd never seen one in action until this day). Soon other turtles, including two more snapping turtles, joined the feast.
Willow enjoyed the fray, but I think she enjoyed the frenzied fish splashing around at the top of the water more than the big turtles. I liked the turtles best.
After I handled the pancake-pitching duties for a while, I handed Willow a few pieces to try to throw into the pond. She ate them (sometimes with more ferocity than the snapping turtles). SNAP! GULP!
When we'd finished feeding the fish and turtles, Willow hopped in her wagon, and I pulled her once around the little, half-mile path I like to walk on sometimes.
When we got back around to the pond, the ducks had arrived.
Too late, little duckies, too late.
But even if they missed their treat, Willow didn't miss hers. I pulled her from the wagon, and she screeched "DOUGS" before taking off after them.
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