Exquisite Image Photography

Now, I want to be up front with you. This post is not about Michael Jordan. Well, it’s not about Michael Jordan the basketball star. This post is about Michael Jordan the turtle.

The first thing you have to understand is that I just moved to Maryland from Idaho. I’d lived on the West Coast my entire life, born and raised in Washington and living in Idaho with my husband and kids for the last 3 years. Suddenly, my husband got a job opportunity that moved us all the way across the country. Now, as much as I loved the West Coast, the East Coast has one thing I’m particularly fond of – thunder and lightning storms! I love the crashing thunder, how it cracks so loud it shakes my bones. I love watching the lighting from my window (although it’s proving elusive to photograph).

Yesterday I was sitting at my computer watching the sky turn all hazy and yellow gray, a sure sign of a thunderstorm. When the rain started pouring, I grabbed my camera to get some shots of the rain bouncing off the pavement. I pointed my lens at the driveway when low and behold, a lumpy shape made its way into my view. Wanting a closer look, I broke cover and barefoot trotted out to see. Crawling in the driveway was the most beautiful turtle I’d ever seen!

When I was younger, a neighbor boy had a pet turtle, plain green and boring (and frankly quite smelly). I have never seen a wild turtle before, and I was so excited! I immediately started taking pictures, and discovered turtles can actually move pretty fast when they want to! So of course, I had to pick it up… and I am not kidding you, I almost dropped the doggon thing on the concrete… it hissed at me! I’m sure this is just what turtles do (and of course who can blame him… I was holding him about four and a half feet off the ground), but it scared the peewadden out of me! A few shots later I grabbed a bucket and put him inside to show my daughter when she woke up from nap.

I’ve never seen a little girl so excited! She promptly named the turtle Michael Jordan (she’s been obsessed with the movie Space Jam lately) and watched him intently for about a half an hour. When it was time to put him back outside, she tearfully waved goodbye and watched him make for the bushes (probably thankful to escape).

A turtle! Friday’s are so surprising!

**you can see more of my photography at www.exquisiteimage.etsy.com**