I spotted this furry pair eating near the neighbor’s garden last night when I came home. I finally found out why people put white plastic grocery bags near their gardens: my neighbor said they’re rumored to scare rabbits away as they rustle in the breeze. I also found out that they must not be very effective; these rabbits were only a few feet away from them. They also weren’t too intimidated by a 4×4 truck parked right beside them, my flash going off, or the sound of my neighbor and I talking about them. They just sat there, lazily chewing the grass.

Oh yeah…I also found out (presumably) who ate my wife’s flowers. We got some stuff that sprays on the flowerbeds and smells absolutely AWFUL. It drives them away for good, just don’t get any on ya!

Maybe he wants us to call him Flower. It’s obvious now why these little guys have all those spots on their backs! This guy blended in pretty good, and was nice enough to sit still for a picture. I tried to get a better angle to see all of his face, but he darted down his hole right away.

One of these turtles was sure having a heyday swimming circles around the other in some shallow water east of Bismarck. It’s weird to see a creature like a turtle acting in a playful manner, but this one was definitely doing so! The larger turtle, perhaps a parent, was not participating but didn’t seem to object.