Wednesday, May 1, 2024

First of May

Yesterday I told my husband the naughty rhyme that begins "First of May, first of May..." and he had never heard it before. I can't remember where I first heard it, but it may have been here in blogland. It made him laugh.

Unfortunately May didn't get off to a very good start. I started to feel bad first thing this morning after arriving at work, with a burning, raw feeling developing in my chest along with a cough. I had the nurse take my temperature, and it was slightly elevated, so I left work and came home to take a Covid test. Thankfully, it was negative, but I still feel kind of rough. Body aches, a cough, a slight headache. When I got home this morning I slept for four solid hours, and this was after a full night's sleep. I guess I've picked up some respiratory bug at the school. Fun times! I'm just thankful it's not any worse (or Covid again).

We've been seeing the annual influx of turtles from the creek walking onto our property, probably to lay eggs in the sandy soil. We saw three big ones in our yard on Sunday alone. Poppy is fascinated by them. One was right outside our front door so and I took a short video of Poppy's reaction to it.


We also saw a crow circling around a turtle on our neighbor's property later that day. The turtle kept stretching its head up to watch the crow, and the crow kept landing and creeping nearer and nearer. It was such strange behavior that we Googled it and it turns out that crows will watch for turtles to lay eggs, then come back later to dig them up and eat them! Who would have thought?! I guess this particular turtle knew what was going on, because it kept creeping away until it finally disappeared behind some shrubs. Hopefully if it was a nesting female she was able to hide her stash from predators. But as I told Gregg, "Crows have to eat, too." 


33 comments:

  1. I know what you mean, crows need to eat too, but I would be cheering on the mama turtle. Still, when I see on video a lion or a hawk catching its prey, I am happy they got dinner.

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  2. And we all know mean and nasty turtles can be.🤣

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  3. Yes the first of May- go outside...It has begun today! Happy springtime!!!

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  4. There's definitely some kind of nasty cold virus going around right now. I know 3 people who have come down with it just in this past week. I hope you feel better soon!

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    1. The worst part is that my asthma is flaring and it makes breathing difficult. If this keeps up I'm going to have to see the doctor. :(

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  5. How interesting. Yesterday I was sick, sick, sick for the first time in years. Marginally better today. Good luck to your turtles.

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    1. I'm glad you're a little better, Joanne. I'm sorry you're sick!

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  6. No doubt Gregg will be contemplating that rhyme and wondering if he should act upon it.

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    1. I'm really sick right now...he's not going to be acting on ANYTHING for a while.

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  7. The crow thing doesn't surprise me. Black birds, crows and Ravens are hihgly intelligent and resourceful...and will eat just about anything, but small birds do eat eggs of others.

    Now go out and enjoy some somthin' somthin' with Greg out doors will ya!!!!!

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    1. With this funk I've caught, it will be awhile before I'm up to any somthin' somthin'!

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  8. Every 1 May I play that awful song; my favorite version is the one done in ASL

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    1. ASL? I wonder how the verb is done in ASL?! LOL.

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  9. You may have read that ditty on my page. My old friend Jock used to say it every year, and I did once mention it. Rude boy!

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  10. I don‘t know the rude May rhyme, or at least can‘t remember having read it anywhere.
    Hopefully, you are better today.
    Poppy‘s reaction to the turtle is funny, especially when she looks at it, then away and then back again.

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    1. She wanted to go out there and investigate SO badly!

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  11. I hope whatever you’ve got gets no worse and moves on quickly. Poppy is such a beauty. I wonder what she would have done had she be allowed outside.

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    1. She would have gotten into trouble, I'm sure!

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  12. And, by the way, I had never heard that ditty!

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  13. Wild kingdom! That turtle looks like it's trying to figure out whether to hunker down or run away.

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    1. We saw three different turtles that day, all looking like they were searching for a good spot. Maybe to lay eggs.

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  14. I had to Google the First of May ditty as I didn't know it! I think I found the one you mean ;)
    Hope you feel better soon, Jennifer!

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  15. You may have heard First of May from me as I quote it every year. I think it came from a James Taylor song.
    Poor little mama turtle, just trying to have her babies! Dang crows are too smart.
    Gosh, Poppy's pretty!
    I'm so sorry you're sick. It's a miracle you're not sick all the time being around those germy little kiddos.

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    1. I feel awful...sneezing and a lot of chest congestion, which is making my asthma flare. I didn't go to work today...hoping to make it tomorrow.

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  16. As I was playing the video of Poppy barking, Shirley came running to me from the other side of the house and kept looking at the computer and cocking her head! Maybe she understood what Poppy was saying!

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    1. Maybe so! When I play the video back, Poppy barks at herself! Haha.

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  17. I've been reading about feeding crows. They often bring 'presents' to leave. When we get to the new house, I want to feed crows just to see what happens!

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  18. We had a snapper laying eggs across the street once. She laid those eggs right against the stone foundation of an old house. I was surprised at the amount of time that it took to get it all done. Hours!

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