Art Durand Photography On the Road: J.C. and Not Spot

I was heading out for a morning walk and there in Kitty's water bowl were Jiminy and a pal, doing what looked like laps. Thing was they were going nowhere really quickly. Thought for a moment, it's in the act not how much is being accomplished, I watched a little longer. Began to imagine if I made them some little swim fins they could really cover some distance with those big powerful legs. The judgement of the futility got the better of me and I scooped them out. Well Jiminy it turns out was actually kicking just to stay above water, pretty badly shaken, and grabbed hold of my finger with an anti-death grip and wasn't going anywhere except where my dry finger was going so I headed down the road with J. Cricket leading the way on my finger. It's different holding one arm stationary, bent elbowed, out in front of you and swinging the other while walking but I soon got use to it.

The gravel road we were on cuts through a hay field absolutely hopping with his people, he wasn't wanting to play. Anytime I wriggled my finger his little grippers would cinch up, we were going for a walk, me and Jiminy. I sang to him happy little ditties I made up, something about 'everythings perfect and ain't nowhere to be but with your friends', I of course make up he liked it and would have added the instrumental part if not for the threat tumbling off his ride.

About 3/4 miles into our journey Jim began to relax, I continued singing soothing happy tunes. He sat up, looked around and was ready to pull the disembark cord.

I went whistling my way and he his. I did appreciate his willingness to leap, 100 times his body length without even looking.

The story continues for as I'm sure you noticed, "Not Spot" has yet to be been mentioned.

Arriving where I usually turn around, I checked in with my body and heard a rousing chorus of 'onward', so I did.

Fields were wet with last nights rain. As the sky opened up letting sunlight streak down, mists swirled their way skyward. The poetry of landscape began showing itself now, barns on last legs still sheltering from the storm as they did in their youths.

And then from watery eyes of appreciation to . . .

laughter, tickled to my souls soles, my very own road, place, um, dirt road!

Continuing on there as an old shack just off the road. Something I've been appreciating out here in the east, the unlocked doors just off the roadway. Could imagine taking refuge, waiting out a heavy cloudburst inside then wandering on my way.

Then I heard something clamoring for my attention, it was my feet letting me know it was time to turn around.

The funny thing about turning around is, in a way, nothing looks the same. I find things, scenes, new beauty I'd passed without noticing. I imagine them stifling a laugh, taking bets with each other as to which of them wouldn't be noticed, or just getting a kick out of the guy who walks right by without a clue. The great thing about it is seeing a new world on the way back home.

As I approached the 'hop off' point for Jiminy I notice a round dark little something in the road ahead, which seemed to move a bit. Shaking my head I looked again, yes, it moved. AHHHH! WOW!!!! A turtle.

Now for some this may be a regular occurrence, for this guy it was a first, my first out in the world turtle and just the day after I talked to the earth of caring more deeply for her. This was a gravel roadway she's crossing and maybe she'd make it to the other side without becoming a spot with tread marks, (unlike the infamous chicken). Looking to the direction of travel I'd say she wasn't heading anywhere too exciting, at least as far as the eye could see, and I knew of a place where there would be good food, year round swimming, places to hide, warm sun when needed, in short, turtle heaven.

She wasn't much more than two and half times bigger than J.C., a very easy traveling companion. She wasn't very happy being carried so I picked up the pace.

We arrived at the pond a few minutes later and after an initial look around and probably saying to herself, "Wow, dig this, my own pond", she headed off on her first explore.