Post Numero Uno ~ Me and a Hole

It's taken me a while to get the nuts to start to blog. I've been wanting to for a while but instead I've been reading the fabulous blogs of fantastic people and revving my engines. I've observed that the better bloggers add a picture to their entry which does add a lot of interest... they can be pretty boring when it's just words, words, words. So my premiere photo will be a clearer version of the one I've used for my bio... it's me and a hole. It was take in July by my 8-year-old son and the wrinkles on my forhead are me getting ready to inquire as to whether he's pushed the button on the camera or not. The hole was created by a Sulcata tortoise and I was hanging out in it's pen... I was at my first meeting of the Rio Grande Turtle and Tortoise Club in Albuquerque, NM. I inherited my little brother's 25-year-old Three-Toed Box Turtle named Digger (he's now a full time head chef at a big Seattle restaurant and couldn't take care of him anymore.) I got involved with the club so I could learn how to take care of him better, in addition to the box turtle my son Tully acquired since moving here. Both turtles were kept in separate 10-gallon tanks which is NOT okay for turtles!! They now have the rockin'-est outdoor enclosure ever... people say it looks like I have a zoo exhibit in my backyard!! Anywho, back to the hole... apparently, these Sulcata tortoises, which people purchase from a pet store when they're about 4 inches long, grow to weigh about 150 lbs... and then people don't want 'em anymore ~ so I was a a rescuer's house who was caring for 4 of these big guys ~ her's were all about 30-50 lbs each ~ still pretty young. They apparently like to dig tunnels ~ this hole went back about 16 feet and also branched off into a 2nd tunnel. Pretty destructive if you like your landscaping!! Here's a pic of me with a Sulcata Tortoise:
And yes, I've been playing with Photoshop... I thought the green was very appropriate for turtly picture. I really dig the turtles - their heads look prehistoric, but also so wise ~ like little wrinkly old men.

Before this blog entry gets too long, I'll end it... until tomorrow. Thanks for checking out my hole...