Pokey's Palate

When Pokey and I first became a family, she had a fairly broad palate. It was my limited knowledge which restricted the variety of her diet then. She loved strawberries and melon, would nibble on bananas, and gulped cottage cheese whenever she was allowed the treat. After Pokey returned from going walkabout (a story for another time), I discovered she had developed a fickle pallate. She would only eat night crawlers (worms), cottage cheese, and the occasional snail or cricket. This has gone on for years. Although I continued to offer her the nutrients the vet said she needed, she wouldn't bite.

Last week, thanks to a new turtle loving friend, I discovered the answer. If I put at least three ingredients in Pokey's bowl, she will likely try them all. Today she is eating defrosted organic berries (raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry mix) topped with Can o Snails. Yum!

THIS MOMENT - Pokey

I learned about a new free photo app for my phone this week from Janice...

 

 

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

“This Moment” was introduced to me by

Sarah-Jane of Samuel Michael's Photography

and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

THIS MOMENT - Turtle Band

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

“This Moment” was introduced to me by

Sarah-Jane of Samuel Michael's Photography

and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

This Moment - New T-Shirt

Sorry for the poor quality camera phone shot. I wanted you all to see my new shirt! Happy Friday

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Surfer Jamie O'Brien's Wild Ride

I feel a bit bad for pro surfer Jamie O'Brien right now. There is a picture circulating the internet that shows him riding a sea turtle. You might be wondering why people would care? Well, it is against the law. We don't want endangered species getting overly comfortable interacting with humans. I guess that is because, inevitably, someone would harm the animal. However, given the opportunity, I'm not sure I would be able to resist reaching out to touch a creature as magical as the green sea turtle. Scientists get to do it all the time.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

THIS MOMENT - Chinatown Fountain

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual.

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

 

“This Moment” was introduced to me by Sarah-Jane of Almost There and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

 

Turtle Reef at Sea World® San Diego

As of this summer, Pokey and I live about 215 miles away from the largest sea turtle display in the world.  That is when they opened the Turtle Reef exhibit at Sea World® in San Diego.  In August, I paid my beloved sea turtle friends a visit.

The nearly 300,000 gallon tank is breathtaking.  Wall-to-wall coral reefs are home to nearly 60 hawksbill and green sea turtles and a vibrant display of tropical fish.  I stood there staring with the childlike wonder of a four year old for nearly five minutes before snapping a hundred pictures with my camera.

It was apparent that the turtles don't always like their tank mates...

or perhaps they just get bored and like to put on a show.  (No sea turtles were injured during this fin and neck nibbling moment, however, many bystanders were overcome with giggles watching them play.)

The tank at Sea World® is also home to quite a few baby sea turtles which hatched there in 2009.  Although some may feel more than a sigh over the fact that their fins have never truly felt the currents of the big blue, I think they are quite happy in this serene environment, carefully protected from the harsh realities of everyday ocean life.  Sea World® shows it's dedication to sea turtles in the wild through it's non-profit foundation, the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which donates millions of dollars to animal conservation projects every year.  It made me smile to know my ticket proceeds would spoil not only these turtles, but also other needy populations all over the world... and many other animals at the park and elsewhere.

THIS MOMENT - Green Sea Turtle

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual.

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

“This Moment” was introduced to me by Sarah-Jane of Almost There and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

Image © Rachel Hoyt.  All rights reserved.

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is holding a raffle for a luxury dive vacation!
Click here to help the turtles and possibly win a dream vacation to swim with turtles.

Red Eared Slider Turtle

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual.

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

“This Moment” was introduced to me by Sarah-Jane of Almost There and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

Image © Rachel Hoyt.  All rights reserved.

My First Friday Moment

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual (though my first time participating).

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

“This Moment” was introduced to me by Sarah-Jane of Almost There and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

.Photo © Rachel Hoyt.  2011 All rights reserved.

Baby Galapagos

I once had a baby tortoise that was this small... It was probably illegal but I did not know that at the time. Somehow though, I always imagined that a baby Galapagos tortoise would be bigger. It turns out they aren't! Click the link to see REALLY cute photographic proof.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Sea Turtle Photo Mystery Solved

Once upon a time, a very cute sea turtle photo graced my desktop.  I kept it up for about a year because the look on the turtle's face was priceless.  It had come to me through some random forwarded email, so I assumed it was photo shopped or something.  Today the mystery has been solved.  According to this article, it is a picture of a baby loggerhead being released into the ocean for the very first time!  No wonder the little dude looked so happy!!!