i was at the gardens earlier in the afternoon before i met up with the northster. these two grumpy looking turtles were making a racket every time someone stopped at the little bridge beside them at the water mill. i've not known turtles making such noises; i know that they make some kind of noise but not the way these two were doing. with their faces looking like they've eaten a bowl of grumpy for breakfast, and the racket they were making, i thought of statler and waldorf, the two jeering old fart on the balcony of the muppet show!
day one of flash of red february, a full month of black and white. for the first 9 days i will do the prompt "forms in nature" as i want to follow the 365 calendar which starts the week on the monday. then i will start on the next theme or prompt on the 10th. i'm ocd that way, methinks.
the wonder of natural forms. the carapace of these turtles have a design that identifies them as such specie (i claim no knowledge of exactly what specie of turtles these are -- they could be common chinese pond turtles or red-eared sliders as they have a spot of red on either side of their heads, but what do i know!). not only does the design or pattern make them unique, the density of the carapace also serves as their protection from predators. last year i read a series of novels by mary alice monroe called the beach house and the background story of the novels is about the loggerhead sea turtles returning to their beach of birth after being away for 20 years to nest. wonderful intelligent novels. i like to read books that even though they're fiction, the author has made appropriate research to lend authenticity to the characters and the plot. (note: the above are not loggerheads to be sure.)
Their markings are tailor-made for black and white. (I'm no turtle expert but they look like Painted Turtles to me and from you description of the red spots). Good shot!
