Gregory the Praying Mantis

I love this photo! Which is the real artwork? Both are unique - both have a Creator/creator.

Gregory is the Praying Mantis the girl found about a week ago. We were just walking along the sidewalk between Hobby Lobby and the fabric store when the girl spotted him on the pavement.

Of course she had to have him. But what to capture him in?? I dumped out my cosmetic case into my purse and she used that. He tried to allude capture by flying across the parking lot into a bush...but the girl was persistent.

Gregory on the girl's arm

We've witnessed Gregory consuming his lunch...not for the faint of heart...live crickets having their heads cut off and their guts consumed...

Introducing Myrtle

After many visits to the park to try and capture a turtle - the girl was finally successful.

Yesterday I told the kids we'd go to the park for a picnic today. Since the weather was mediocre (windy and rain on the horizon) I wasn't feeling so picnic-ish so we opted for a park near home which happens to be "Turtle Paradise".

We had just arrived at the park and we were heading to the picnic table when I looked over and saw something that looked turtle-ish, but it was on land and we'd never seen any on land before. So I thought it was just a pipe or something sticking out of the ground. I looked again and realized it was a turtle.

The girl had come prepared - and swooped in with her net. Thankfully we had a "critter carrier" in the car. The girl proclaimed the turtle beautiful -"It's a 3-toed Box Turtle". And then she told me how it's called a turtle but it's actually a tortoise...

We went to Walmart and bought some garden fencing stuff and set up a little enclosure for Myrtle.

And yes I know turtles can carry salmonella but there shouldn't be much need for anyone to actually touch Myrtle.