We have three turtles that make the Journey's Inn pond their home. Yurtle is our oldest and biggest turtle. Jimmy Chitwood is our middle-sized turtle and Juno is our cute little baby turtle.
Yurtle's story
When we bought our house and Journey's Inn 3 1/2 years ago we were told there were two turtles in the pond. For the first month or so we didn't see any turtles and then I found one (who had gone home to be with his maker).
Then spring came and we started to see this turtle (we called him Yurtle not thinking the name would stick or we would have most certainly come up with a more imaginative name!). Everytime he (she?) would see us he would hide. We considered it a really fun day when we'd see Yurtle.
Also, that same spring we saw 2 or 3 little baby turtles in the pond a time or two, but then never again.
Winter came and Yurtle did what all turtles do, he hibernated and we didn't see him again until the next spring.
The following spring though he didn't disappear as quickly when he saw us. He began associating us with food. He still wasn't friendly, but at least not as timid.
The spring after that we noticed that all of Yurtle's timidity was gone! In fact, every time we went outside he was there following us around like a puppy dog.
This spring our housekeeper asked me if Yurtle was "agressive". I told her he was just very assertive and would hope she would feed him. He's been a lot of fun to watch.
When I come into the garden room for breakfast, Yurtle eyes me from the pond, gets out of the pond and waits on the sidewalk for me to come outside to feed him. All the while I'm eating my Cheerios and banana, he has his eye on me. Yurtle favors grapes and turkey the most.
One morning I got a fright when I went outside and at the foot of the steps, there was Yurtle...ON HIS BACK! That silly turtle had tried to climb the step and had flipped himself over. I was thankful I found him as they can't breathe for long on their backs.
When we had our open house for Journey's Inn, I met Jeff who used to live in there when it was leased. He told me he had brought home two turtles from Chinatown many years ago to put in the pond. He said they were babies when he got them.
His trip from Chinatown was before 9/11 but security still would not allow him to bring the turtles on the plane. Jeff said the pilot told him he would take the turtles in the cockpit with him and that they were his turtles. However, when he landed the plane, the pilot would give the turtles as a gift to Jeff.
Yurtle is so fun to watch and is definitely the most animated. Everyone is his friend - - rather a potential friend who will give him some food!
I'll tell you our timid and shy Jimmy Chitwood's story the next time.
