Turtles are the most cautious of creatures, and can move at the speed of lightning when leaping into the water at a slight motion in the distance. It’s a challenge to get close enough for a good photo, usually involving a frozen stillness on my part for a long time. This time, this small turtle swam up quite close to me and surfaced nearby, not yet experienced enough to be more suspicious of my dark treelike (?) outline on the shore.

This morning there is, surprisingly, still snow on the ground from yesterday’s snowfall. But a few days ago it was sunny and warm as I walked, and I stood long at the pond watching the water in the breeze, until a pair of hawks came and eyed me suspiciously, and shrieked at me to go away.