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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper December 2015 Page 37
Christine Schoenemann (Maccabee) dug her hole for hours, deep into Photo by Christine Maccabee
the night. Fearing my flashlight
was interfering with her progress, I
reluctantly went inside the house by
11:00 p.m., having sacrificed watching
On The Wild Side the Miss America Pageant and having
gained innumerable mosquito bites.
In the morning, I excitedly ran outside
to see if the eggs were laid, and sure
enough, the ground was covered up as
Turtle in a Bucket if it had never been touched.
There is nothing quite like holding
Always ask the turtle — Gloria Steinem a newly hatched baby turtle in your
hand. It is so perfectly formed, it takes
Some things never change, and burdock to provide shade in the turtle your breath away. A neighbor of mine much worse prison than my own, and
my love affair with turtles is one pen. In short, I taught myself lessons a few houses over told me that she neglecting it until it sickened. But then
of them. This essay is about how a in caring for creatures that no book discovered eggs in her compost pile again, this same kid might learn as I
young girl looking for turtles in the could have taught me. I was learning last spring, and when they hatched, did how to care for turtles successfully
woods grew into an eighteen-year-old by doing, and pretty much still am, she put one in the palm of her hand. and grow in respect for them as I
carrying water turtles in a bucket on though books can be a great source of It was only the size of a quarter had. These were my thoughts as I
the Greyhound bus between home and information. I guess I was a hands-on and, “You could even feel its sharp released my beloved turtle friends
college, to the me that I am now, in my person before the term was invented. little toenails against your skin!” she back into their home, back into the
sixties, still transporting them back and Most importantly, since I had no exclaimed. Such an amazing miracle of deep and friendly woods. I still had
forth between their aquarium habitat computer or TV to distract me, my life, and so wonderful to know turtles water turtles, which patiently endured
and their outdoor pools. relationship with the natural world are surviving and thriving in our little trips in a bucket on the Greyhound; I
As a child I was drawn like a grew strong and, well, naturally. I mountain valley, north of Thurmont. only went about one year since then
magnet to the woods. Despite all my count my blessings every day that I I suppose lots of folks have their without a turtle. I have great respect
mother’s efforts to keep me from going had such opportunities to explore and own turtle tales to tell. I just happen for all turtles around the world, and
there, I went anyway. At the time, I to learn, and feel sad that millions of to have many—enough to write a so now comes the question Gloria
did not know that she was trying to children are not so fortunate. book, actually. To end this particular Steinem suggests we ask: “What are
protect me from any potential dangers I was about nine when I made my chapter, however, I will tell you that we humans to ask the turtle?”
lurking there. I only knew the woods first Turtle Town. The most turtles I one summer between college years, In my opinion, if turtles could
to be a friendly place, full of wonder had at any one time was ten—eight I freed all my box turtles, knowing I speak, they would say: “Life on this
and mystery and turtles! box and two mud (they had their own would not always be around to care planet is precious, a miracle, and not
Before too long, my mother, Rose, private mud hole)—with only one for them. I remember the fear I had to be neglected. Take care of it for us.”
a nature lover herself, gave up trying male box turtle at a time. I learned that some kid might find one and keep This is the lesson my turtles taught me,
to stop me. She even permitted me to the hard way not to have more than it in a cardboard box, confining it to a and one I shall never forget.
build a nice turtle town out of cinder one male in my Turtle Town harem,
blocks in our small backyard, south for to see the flash of red eyes and the
of Baltimore. Many years later, I was frothing at the mouth when two males
told by a neighbor boy that all the fight over a female is enough to scare
fellas didn’t know what to make of the pants off of anybody, especially a
me, that I was a different sort of girl, ten year old.
but that they admired me. I wish I had You might say I first learned about
known it then, as all they ever did was sex from my turtles, and I knew never
tease me! to interfere with turtles when mating.
So, at a very early age, I learned the Even then the males red eyes would
joy of going off into the woods—with flash fiercely and his mouth would
my dog as my sole companion—and froth. I always felt sorry for him as the
digging in rich dirt under the leaves hard shells made mating difficult, but
for worms as food for my turtles. I usually successful, as I found several
learned to love the healing smell of batches of eggs buried from a few
the woods in all seasons, and gave of those awkward unions. One hot
myself lessons in transplanting such summer night, I watched as a female,
things as the big-leaved, deep rooted, ready to lay her eggs, laboriously
Christine Schoenemann (Maccabee) dug her hole for hours, deep into Photo by Christine Maccabee
the night. Fearing my flashlight
was interfering with her progress, I
reluctantly went inside the house by
11:00 p.m., having sacrificed watching
On The Wild Side the Miss America Pageant and having
gained innumerable mosquito bites.
In the morning, I excitedly ran outside
to see if the eggs were laid, and sure
enough, the ground was covered up as
Turtle in a Bucket if it had never been touched.
There is nothing quite like holding
Always ask the turtle — Gloria Steinem a newly hatched baby turtle in your
hand. It is so perfectly formed, it takes
Some things never change, and burdock to provide shade in the turtle your breath away. A neighbor of mine much worse prison than my own, and
my love affair with turtles is one pen. In short, I taught myself lessons a few houses over told me that she neglecting it until it sickened. But then
of them. This essay is about how a in caring for creatures that no book discovered eggs in her compost pile again, this same kid might learn as I
young girl looking for turtles in the could have taught me. I was learning last spring, and when they hatched, did how to care for turtles successfully
woods grew into an eighteen-year-old by doing, and pretty much still am, she put one in the palm of her hand. and grow in respect for them as I
carrying water turtles in a bucket on though books can be a great source of It was only the size of a quarter had. These were my thoughts as I
the Greyhound bus between home and information. I guess I was a hands-on and, “You could even feel its sharp released my beloved turtle friends
college, to the me that I am now, in my person before the term was invented. little toenails against your skin!” she back into their home, back into the
sixties, still transporting them back and Most importantly, since I had no exclaimed. Such an amazing miracle of deep and friendly woods. I still had
forth between their aquarium habitat computer or TV to distract me, my life, and so wonderful to know turtles water turtles, which patiently endured
and their outdoor pools. relationship with the natural world are surviving and thriving in our little trips in a bucket on the Greyhound; I
As a child I was drawn like a grew strong and, well, naturally. I mountain valley, north of Thurmont. only went about one year since then
magnet to the woods. Despite all my count my blessings every day that I I suppose lots of folks have their without a turtle. I have great respect
mother’s efforts to keep me from going had such opportunities to explore and own turtle tales to tell. I just happen for all turtles around the world, and
there, I went anyway. At the time, I to learn, and feel sad that millions of to have many—enough to write a so now comes the question Gloria
did not know that she was trying to children are not so fortunate. book, actually. To end this particular Steinem suggests we ask: “What are
protect me from any potential dangers I was about nine when I made my chapter, however, I will tell you that we humans to ask the turtle?”
lurking there. I only knew the woods first Turtle Town. The most turtles I one summer between college years, In my opinion, if turtles could
to be a friendly place, full of wonder had at any one time was ten—eight I freed all my box turtles, knowing I speak, they would say: “Life on this
and mystery and turtles! box and two mud (they had their own would not always be around to care planet is precious, a miracle, and not
Before too long, my mother, Rose, private mud hole)—with only one for them. I remember the fear I had to be neglected. Take care of it for us.”
a nature lover herself, gave up trying male box turtle at a time. I learned that some kid might find one and keep This is the lesson my turtles taught me,
to stop me. She even permitted me to the hard way not to have more than it in a cardboard box, confining it to a and one I shall never forget.
build a nice turtle town out of cinder one male in my Turtle Town harem,
blocks in our small backyard, south for to see the flash of red eyes and the
of Baltimore. Many years later, I was frothing at the mouth when two males
told by a neighbor boy that all the fight over a female is enough to scare
fellas didn’t know what to make of the pants off of anybody, especially a
me, that I was a different sort of girl, ten year old.
but that they admired me. I wish I had You might say I first learned about
known it then, as all they ever did was sex from my turtles, and I knew never
tease me! to interfere with turtles when mating.
So, at a very early age, I learned the Even then the males red eyes would
joy of going off into the woods—with flash fiercely and his mouth would
my dog as my sole companion—and froth. I always felt sorry for him as the
digging in rich dirt under the leaves hard shells made mating difficult, but
for worms as food for my turtles. I usually successful, as I found several
learned to love the healing smell of batches of eggs buried from a few
the woods in all seasons, and gave of those awkward unions. One hot
myself lessons in transplanting such summer night, I watched as a female,
things as the big-leaved, deep rooted, ready to lay her eggs, laboriously
