Road signs here still have a long way to go before they will match a roadside offering which I saw years ago in Cyprus during the wine pressing season. "Caution, road slippery with grape juice", said that Cypriot sign in painstaking upper case letters which meandered like the island hills, up and down and all around the square of plywood chosen for the spontaneous roadside admonishment.As far as I know, there are no vineyards in Lanark County, but our signs also make for good reading and some amusement when driving along in the countryside. More importantly, they are a reminder in spring to watch for hordes of turtles and frogs crossing rural lanes recklessly in the throes of their desire to proliferate.
It doesn't bother me in the least to pick up frogs, snakes and mud turtles large and small and carry them off the road to safety, but at this time of year, I keep a stout length of wood in the boot of the car - it's a useful implement to have close at hand when one is trying to nudge a truculent mother Snapping Turtle out of the center of the road and back to safety in her swamp or beaver pond, or more often just to the other side of the road to lay her eggs.
I admire the great snappers immensely, for their long, scrappy and distinguished tenure on this island earth, for their formidable size and daunting appearance, for their fearlessness and their forthright attitude, for their refusal to be swayed from their chosen path of motherhood in spring.
Every year, scores of mother snappers are killed by motorists driving along country roads at high speeds, and that breaks my heart wide open — in spring, we never drive by a snapper in the road without stopping to assist her on her journey. Although I was not born in the year of the turtle, I feel kinship with these fierce and resolute creatures — they are one of the Old Wild Mother's most remarkable creations, and they have been here forever.
4 comments:
I have to wonder what driving over a snapping turtle does to one's tires and alignment. Pureflorida.blogspot.com has a similar post today about rescuing rattlesnakes from the road.
Pablo, driving over a large snapping turtle does a real number on one's tires, alignment and several other things too, but less damage is sustained than if one collided with a moose, a bear, a deer or a big porcupine. More than a few SUVs have fallen prey to moose in the last year or two, and the moose always wins.
I too have been to the aid of our turtle friends...always helping them cross the roads.....its one of my son and mines favorite "good deed of the day".....we have many turtle crossing signs......I wonder how many pass them by and pay notice???? I think one of my candles will be for our turtle sisters tonight! aisling
I, too, am very fond of turtles and feel an affinity with them for their speed, their tenacity and their shell-needing tenderness. I would consider it a very good day if I saw a turtle crossing the road and especially if I stopped to give it some assistance.
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