Look 👀 Both Ways!

I saved this Painted turtle this morning attempting to cross 107 Cutoff (Rt.351) -

I moved her some twenty feet off the side of the road, in the direction she was headed.

If only USPS mail carriers could tell the difference between rocks and turtles 🐢, I’m sure others would be saved too…

A happy ending nonetheless!

An Unexpected Garage Find

**** WARNING ****  

**** Graphic Images Below ****

**** May Offend The Squeamish and The Weenies ****

The following story and pics reminds me of a knock-knock joke my dad once told.  You'll see the connection soon enough -

Knock-knock

Who's there?

Ether

Ether who?

Ether bunny!

Knock-knock

Who's there?

Mora

Mora who?

Mora ether bunnies!

Knock-knock

Who's there?

Cargo

Cargo who?

Cargo beep-beep and run-over all the ether bunnies!

Gotta luv a good dad joke.

This is an interesting one, and let's be honest, kinda cool too.

I felt a little bit like Dr. Louis Leakey.  You know, the pioneer Kenyan-British paleoanthropologist famous for discovering the fossil remains of ancient hominids in East Africa, upon discovering this dude...

Although, the below remains were discovered in a corner of my garage, not in East Africa and technically not a hominid, it should still qualify as a unique find AND there was no digging required.

Honestly, it's the weirdest thing.  I have no idea how long this critter was there and I can tell you that at NO point did I ever smell anything foul or bad and I walk in and out of my house through the garage constantly.

Without looking ahead at the other pics, care to take a guess at what this poor animal was, that I found in a corner of my garage behind a box?!

Guessing the critter made it's way in the garage when I had the door open and was out mowing the lawn or working in the yard and got trapped in there.  Clearly it's been there a while or perhaps the high heat and humidity we had in July and August helped move along the decomposition process.

Flipping it over, I can clearly see it was a rabbit, and I'd say a young one at that -

Works great as a coaster, sitting on the living room end table. I'm kidding...it's really on the coffee table!!

A sad and unfortunate demise.

What's That In The Road Ahead?

Nope, not a turtle. Not a snake.  Not a critter. Rather an attractively arranged bunch of flowers - a rose bouquet!

On my way back to the post office this afternoon, after a long, tiring day of delivering mail to two different routes, UGH, a bouquet of one dozen white roses was in need of rescuing -

They were awfully dried, not sure how long they were laying on the hot asphalt but hoping a small stem trim and a vase of fresh water, with a cup full of hydrogen peroxide, will reinvigorate them -

They certainly look much better sitting on my counter than in the middle of the street!

Another roadway save -

Green With Envy!

I volunteered to work again yesterday, another Sunday, delivering packages.  Last Sunday I delivered 36 packages and was expecting a similar amount yesterday, however, that was NOT the case!  Instead I delivered 69 packages, some very big and some very heavy too; the LLV was full, UGH!

I was a bit discouraged with the number of packages and the prospect of being out delivering for hours but focused, numbered each package in order of delivery, then organized them in the truck and off I went.

BTW, and not that it's a competition, but I was the first carrier to depart to PO and the first to complete all deliveries and return back to the PO, all in about 3-hours!  Which isn't bad at all seeing that the route was rated with a "duration" of 4-hours and 42-minutes!  I'm getting better at this...

My reward for working on a Sunday was this BIG awesome green ceramic flower pot! These pictures don't really show how BIG this pot is or do justice to how purdy it is!  It was curbside with many other plastic pots and miscellaneous stuff free for the taking, so I banged a U-turn and loaded this beauty in the back of the LLV, which was almost empty by the time I came across it -

A Happy Father's Day gift to me from the universe!

Hmmm, now what plants to plant in it?!  I see a nursery run in my future!

The Wonders Of Mother Nature

Continuing with the turtle postings, here's another one -

I was heading back home from running an errand this morning before work, when I saw what I thought was another BIG snapping turtle about to cross the road.

However, as I got closer I was amazed to see that she wasn't about to cross but rather she was in the process of digging a hole to lay her eggs, right there on the edge of the road.

As much as I wanted to get out to inspect things, the last thing I wanted to do was spook her, so I threw the car in park, climbed into the passenger seat and took the below pictures.

Hoping she was able to complete her mission without anyone bothering her or trying to move her and that she made it safely back into the water.  However, I'm not sure how the littles will do when they hatch and emerge, as I suspect some will wander into the road and surely get run over.

I find these BIG monster turtles SO awesome and truly amazing!

Turtle Save Wednesday!

On the way to my third delivery stop of the day, and as I rounded the bend, this MONSTER was crossing the road! And I am NOT exaggerating when I say she was a MONSTER!  I've never seen such a BIG turtle except for the Galapagos tortoise and maybe a sea turtle at the aquarium.

She was moving from my left to right and was smack dab in the middle of the other lane. Since there was no one behind me, I slammed on the brakes and stopped in my lane, threw the LLV in park and jumped out.  Fortunately, an older man in a pickup truck heading the opposite direction, saw me then the turtle and stopped traffic in that direction.

I ran up to her, picked her up - OMG, she must have weighed 25-30 pounds, SO heavy, and I carried her in the direction she was headed and placed her on the side of the road -

These pictures do not truly show how BIG she really was.  I can't imaging anyone hitting her with their vehicle and walking away unscathed.

What a beauty!

I would have liked to take more pics but traffic was backing up, plus the mail must be delivered, so I jumped back into the mail truck and off I went but not before the older gentlemen in the pickup gave me a thumbs up and yelled "nice job" as he drove by.

I Named Her "Postal"...

I worked this morning delivering packages to Franklin residents.  While driving back roads and side streets, I came across this BIG lady just sitting in the roadway, TSK TSK!

Fortunately, an older gentleman in a van was already stopped, which helped block and protect her so other passerby's didn't hit her.

I pulled over immediately and jumped out to assist.  It was clear that the older guy didn't know what to do and had no intentions of getting too close to her.  I on the other hand just walked over, picked her up  -

and walked her to the other side of the road, in the direction she was headed in and down a small embankment, then safely put her down.  I gave her the same speech I've given the other turtles I've rescued and hope she takes heed -

She was none-to-happy with me when I picked her up and lunged a few times trying to get a piece of me, silly girl.

Hoping all's well that ends well!

Another Turtle Save!

Good news, another turtle rescued from the middle of the road this morning!

This one a youngster Snapping turtle.

I was beside it before I realized it was a turtle, it blended in so well.  Fortunately, there was no one behind me or coming in the opposite directions, so I hit the brakes, backed up, threw the LLV in park and jumped out to make the save!

I turned around and drove to the pond, which was right there.  You can actually see it in the background of the first pic.  Ironically, this dude was only some ~50' from where I made my last rescue of the Painted turtle.

Before placing the dude into the water and setting it free, I performed a road side surgical procedure.  You can see it in the pic below - I circled it in red, a leach was firmly attached and sucking away.  No worries, I grabbed my handy-dandy scissors and with one snip the leach was no more.

I'm gonna call it a win win!

I'm Gonna Air My Laundry...

I scored myself a like new 2 bushel Sterilite laundry basket on my walk this afternoon!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with it and it still had the tags on it.

The laundry basket I've been using is old, an unappealing brown color that matches nothing and one of the handles is broken, so the timing happens to be perfect, as I was going to be buying a new one soon.

I did feel a bit silly carrying this for over 2-miles to get it home but I didn't want to risk leaving it and hoping it would still be there when I returned with the car some 30 minutes later, so...

Merry Christmas to me!

I'm Five Dollars Richer!

Getting fit is really "paying" off for me!

I came across this pencil bag on my run yesterday afternoon with a five dollar bill inside, WHOOHOO!

I really enjoy running again and actually looking forward to it each day.  However, if I find myself indecisive about getting out there, the potential of finding more cash is all the motivation I need get mov'n!

As my brother would sing, "I Like To Move It Move It!

I'm A Hundred Bucks Richer!

I found this $100.00 bill in the street on my 3-mile run this afternoon!

See, it does pay to exercise, in more ways than one!

Steel Chiminea - Before and After

Call me Fred Sanford if you'd like but at the end of the day I think you'd agree that we scored a winner with this particular "find".

Coming home the other evening, just before dark, we came across this steel chiminea sitting curbside. The house had a For Sale sign in the front yard and a pile of trash out for morning pickup. Apparently, this chiminea gem just wasn't wanted at their new abode. I initially drove past but quickly turned around. After all I saw it first and didn't want any other passerby's to try and take my "find". We hemmed and hawed a bit before deciding to take. Part of our apprehension was the fact that we were in the Explorer and not my pickup.

However, at the end of the day I'm glad that we decided to rehome it. We'll break it in once the cooler weather moves in.

This is the before picture -


This is the after picture -


I sanded the entire outside of the stove and spray painted it with a flat black high heat Rust-Oleum paint. Looks nice right?!?! Lowe's has a similar chiminea called the "Garden Treasures Steel Chiminea" selling for $149.00.

If anyone is interested, I will let this refurbished gem go for $75.00 cash...

Can you say S'MORES!!