Painted Turtle?

Today at the living history farm we were busy cooking, fixing rags to weave into rugs, playing games and all manner of other activities when we became aware of a strange critter walking across the field toward us. We've seen raccoons, rock chucks, and snakes of various kinds, but this one was a new one for us.




We think maybe it is a painted turtle. The problem is, painted turtles are just not native to this area. How on earth did it come to be in our field? We'll probably never know.



The pioneer children picked some succulent dandelion stems for it to eat.



We made a lovely pond for it to splash in.



Since the turtle is not native to the area, the local wildlife people came and picked it up. Did it really live around here? Did someone drop off a pet that had grown to large for them to care for? Did it escape from the zoo and make its way out to us? We don't know.

In the meantime, the peacocks and peahens were active today, chasing each other around and begging for food. One peacock was aloof and above all such behavior. He spent his time strutting his stuff.





At first glance you might think he looks albino, but he has black eyes, so I think not. He looks like a giant snowflake.

You never know what you might find there.