A turtle in a box?

A box turtle? Doesn't look like a box to ME!

There he was... right by the front porch! In the cool shade... in a clump of clover growing wild.

At first I thought it was one of those fake ones from the yard around the pond.

But how did it get over here?

Then I touched it! Looked at it underneath! It did look fake, but real too!

It was closed up, TIGHT! I couldn't see any place it could open up and let a head out!

I shouted.... and laughed.... and took it to let Big Dude see it.

He said "it's a box turtle! Yep! That's what it is!"

He put it in the sun... so it would get hot and come out.

That didn't work. He put it in water... to make him come out for air.

That didn't work. He put bricks around a little area for a pen, in the shade, for him to live in.

I put some spring mix and carrots in front of the shell. And waited.

I said, " are you sure he can't climb over the bricks and leave?"

Big Dude said, " naw, he's not gonna get out by climbing over that wall."

And off we went about our chores.

I walked over to the pen and what do you think I saw? A big... long... colorful neck with a head sticking out!

I took pictures with my camera! I laughed... danced... I shouted!

Then I asked Big Dude, " think we should put some sort of cover over the pen to keep the wild animals out?"

Big Dude said, "naw, nothin's gonna bother him right next to the porch like that."

So off we went about our chores.

Just a little while later, when I stepped out of the kitchen to look at him again, what do you think I saw now?

NOTHING!!!

Box Turtle was gone!

YEP! Climbed over the wall of brick... and RAN AWAY!