Photo: Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media via Middletown Press.
Turtles stand on a tire in Pameacha Pond in Middletown on June 30, 2023.
How do people end up protecting wildlife? They are not necessarily longtime nature lovers. Maybe they just work at a dry cleaner.
Cathy Free reports at the Washington Post, “Every summer at Best Cleaners in Middletown, Conn., employees throw open the front and back doors and the slow parade begins. Very slow.
“During nesting season from May through September, turtles ramble into the store, ease their way past the front counter and racks of freshly cleaned jackets and skirts, and crawl for the opposite door.
“They’re among dozens of female Eastern painted turtles on their annual summer migration from Middletown’s Pameacha Pond to lay their eggs at a grassy marsh behind the dry-cleaning store. In late summer and early fall, the trek changes direction, with tiny hatchlings making their way back to the pond.
“To head either direction, the turtles need to cross South Main Street, a busy two-lane road that is part of Route 17.
“Some of the turtles are smashed by cars during their precarious annual journey, so current employees at Best Cleaners decided about five years ago to start saving as many turtles as they could.
Good post Mitch. I’m confused by WordPress, they make many “not for better” changes without notifications, but still the best vehicle out there for bloggers. These days, I’m older and confuse easily.
Oh, I doubt age has anything to do with it, Phil. No doubt there’s something in it for WordPress, but exactly what I’m unsure.
I’m this minuet trying to add a large picture to a post and am running into problems, not user friendly. Keep us posted.
Thanks for the shoutout, Mitch. It’s reminding me that I better update my bio. Times change — for example, I don’t review theater now.
The honor is mine, SM.
Suzanne’s Mom posted an interesting human interest story about turtles, but I was unable to send a comment on her blog. There was a reply box but no send button or arrow. Anyway, it was good! Thanks for sharing it, Mitch. 🙂
Funny how that varies from blogger to blogger, Nancy. I often run into that problem, but not on SM’s post. I see a Comment box with a Post Comment button to the right below it.
I went into her site again & found the send button with no problem. I sent the message & it popped back that I had already sent it. Go figure. 🙂
Love the post, Mitch! And I like the way you structured it … like you, I am NOT a fan of the latest changes by WordPress, especially the way reblogs are done. The only plus is that now you can actually schedule a reblog rather than having to do it in real time. Thanks for introducing us to Suzanne’s Mom’s Blog!
My pleasure, Jill!
What a great story! Love the turtles!
Such a delightful story. Thank you so much for sharing.
My pleasure, Sandy.
I lived by Middletown for years…never knew the turtle info. Thanks.