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It was early this morning, coffee not yet made, and I was just beginning to stir together some pancake batter, when I heard my partner’s muffled voice calling to me. He wanted me to come outside with him to see something exciting.
He had found a good sized turtle on our driveway, and wanted to share it with me.
I peered out of the open back door to see what was going on. And there, near the top of the drive, was a beautiful turtle just sunning himself in the steamy morning heat. There had been heavy rain this morning just before sunrise, but the clouds had long ago cleared out, turning our garden into a sauna.
Not yet dressed for encountering neighbors, I made the compromise between photography and modesty by snapping a photo from the porch.
But then I wanted to see more of this beautiful turtle. So I ventured a little further up the drive, camera aimed and ready.
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Turtle had the instinct so many of us feel when we know we’re being watched. He decided it was time to move on. He took off at a turtle’s run for the shadowy roots of the Beech tree, disappearing before I could steal a third shot of him this morning.
I suppose we were both feeling a little modest, and I didn’t pursue him. I left him to his peaceful morning, and quickly headed back inside to mine.
But my partner was happy now that I had seen our morning visitor, and I was happy to have gotten a photo of him.
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Are those leaves already turning in May? Shot this afternoon along the bank of the James, where turtles love to sun themselves on the rocks.
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Yesterday Barbara, at Silver in the Barn, invited me to take part in the Five Photos, Five Stories challenge ,which is quickly spreading across the blogosphere. I relish the relationships formed and connections found as we each write about our experiences and share our world through photos.
And so I made the commitment to accept Barbara’s challenge, and now pass that challenge on to Jenny at Jennifer Nichole Wells.
Jenny hosts the One Word Photo Challenge each week and takes amazing shots of miniatures which she creates and stages herself. Jenny always has interesting little stories about her miniature scenes. She is a natural to invite to this challenge. I hope she accepts.
This is a simple challenge: To participate, you simply post a photo each day for five consecutive days, and tell a story about each photo. The story can be truth or fiction, poetry or prose. Each day one must also nominate a fellow blogger to participate in the challenge.
So I’ve combined my first day of the Five Photos, Five Stories challenge with Jenny’s One Word Photo Challenge: Hot today.
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“Hot” was a prescient pick for today. It has been hot and muggy all day long.
We’ve had summer temperatures this third week of May, when our highs are normally still in the 70’s. We topped out near 88 this afternoon. The only comfortable place was in the shade.
Huge, fluffy clouds were gathering by mid-day, and there is a possibility of thunderstorms again this evening.
We took a drive on the Colonial Parkway late this afternoon to watch the clouds build over the river. Once on Jamestown Island, in the deep shade, our car thermometer dropped to around 86. Even though it felt hot and muggy, with mayflies buzzing around and landing on me whenever we stopped to take a photo, the cool greens and blues of the landscape look cool. A slight breeze fluttered off of the river, barely lifting my hair.
Summer has settled early over us here in Virginia, and it is hot. That is the long and the short of our story for today.
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It was hot and muggy on Jamestown Island this afternoon, the steamy air full of hungry Mayflies. Can you spot the yellow Iris growing in this marsh?
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With appreciation to Jennifer Nichole Wells for hosting the
Woodland Gnome 2015
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Five Photos, Five Stories: Dormant Isn’t Dead
Five Photos, Five Stories: Perspective
Five Photos, Five Stories: Turtle Mama
Five Photos, Five Stories: Chocolate Cake
Forest Garden 
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These are some great shots! Something about the light in the Jamestown Island one strikes me – so beautiful. Thanks for the nomination. I’m going to try to rise to the occasion, just need to create some photos 1st! ha, I’ll link you as soon as I begin 🙂
I knew you’d be a great sport, Jenny, and create something wonderful for this. Can’t wait to see what you come up with this time 😉 Thank you for accepting the challenge. Jamestown Island remains a very strange and beautiful place. I’m glad you noticed the quality of the light in the swamp 😉 ❤
Thank you! And yes, the light is magical – definitely makes me want to see the island myself.
Sadly, I could not find the yellow iris. It’s lovely along Colonial Parkway. We occasionally head out to Jamestown to hike a bit.
I love it when we come across turtles, thought it’s not that often. We mostly see sliders in the Tidewater swamps, but sure beats coming across a cottonmouth moccasin…those things are evil!
Gorgeous pictures!
Thank you, Koko 😉
I enjoyed your turtle photos and story. The turtles have been on the move here, too. It surely has been hot for the past week or so. Hopefully you are now enjoying the cool and drier weather that arrived overnight. It feels good to cool off a little. 🙂
Yes, it is wonderful here this morning. We felt the cool moving in late evening when we went out to enjoy the stars for a while. I am hoping to get outside this afternoon to work in the garden a little. It has been a busy morning of doing other things. The turtles have been on the move for a few weeks now, here. Our friends found a snapping turtle on their front porch last week! I hope everyone is watching out for them on the road. Best wishes, WG
I really like your turtle story – and can imagine you inching your way off the porch to catch another photo. 🙂 also – nice take on “hot” – those clouds are lined up in such an interesting way
Thank you so much 😉 I was just hoping no one was walking down our street and that I could steal some photos unseen… so far so good 😉 Gorgeous sky today!
ha ha –
Loved the turtle and the flag iris – little surprises that nature provides. Speaking of pajama photography, I’ve thrown my boots & down coat on over my nightgown and gone out to catch shots at dawn. I was surprised the first time that I didn’t feel one bit cold and was out for quite a while. Neighbors? What neighbors? 😉
That is the spirit! I can see you doing that, Eliza… must be a family trait between us ❤ Lots of lovely little surprises today. When we drove across the marsh on the low wooden bridge, purple martins swooped and flew all around our car. They were having a great time feasting on all of the flies!
I would have loved to see those martins, it must have been magical!
yes, it was 😉 I so wanted to stop and take photos, but we were thronged with flies hanging on to the windows, doors, and mirrors. Can you imagine those first English settlers trying to establish a home in this briny swampland???
I often think of our ancestors and wonder how they did it? Life was harsh, cruel and short, I guess. Makes me count my blessings, that’s for sure!
I never see turtles in my neck of the woods, so I loved seeing this big guy soaking up the heat in your driveway. There is a distinct advantage to country living and that is what I call pajama gardening! The cows do not seem to mind one bit. The St. Swithun looks much better this evening – thanks again for your help. I enjoyed your first entry in this challenge, WG!
Thank you, Barbara. You do pajama gardening, I’m always tempted by pajama photography 😉 Seems I don’t get dressed early enough some days to go out there decently clad- yet hate to miss a shot… As you know our neighbors are close by, poor things…. I’m thrilled to hear that St. Swithun looks better, Barbara. I hope it will get a break now with some cooler days and rain to coax it along. Thank you for inviting me to the challenge, Barbara 😉 ❤