It’s another demolition weekend here in ThimbleannaLand, and while TheManoftheHouse was off to rent the tools of destruction, I decided to type up a quick post, just to tell you a new tip I learned from my camera. (Wait…here’s the tip: I hate using the flash on my camera ’cause it always looks like I’ve used a flash. I discovered this really cool button though — it lets you reduce the intensity of your pop-up flash. Do you know about it already? Here’s a picture of what it looks like on a Nikon DSLR…)
You just pop up your flash and then hold down that little button and adjust the intensity in your viewfinder by turning the dial on the front of your camera. Other DSLRs have the same feature, but I don’t have pictures of them. Try it — it’s really cool!)
Anyway, just as I was about to take before and after flash pictures to show you, the phone rang. It was TheManoftheHouse returning home — “Quick! Grab your camera and meet me on the driveway!” (I have him well trained LOL.) I jumped in the car, and off we ran down the street to check out this giant snapping turtle on the side of the road.
I’ve never seen a turtle this big around here — it was pretty cool. The only problem was, that he was on the side of the road — nowhere near any water. Several people stopped and after much discussion, it was decided that we should try to move him so he wouldn’t get hit by a car. Have you ever tried to move a giant snapping turtle? They’re Mean. They SNAP! I always thought a turtle would stay completely in his shell if he was even remotely threatened. I wish I could have caught a picture of him snapping — and look at those claws!
One neighbor lady brought out a recycling bin and we threw a towel over Mr. Turtle and TheManoftheHouse sort of grabbed/pushed him by his tail until he ended up in the bin.
Then we took him to a creek that was in the direction he was headed. We felt he would have been better off in the pond in the direction that he came from, but he probably would have just ended up back on the road again.
Poor turtle — he wasn’t very happy. Hopefully he will figure out where he is soon. And hopefully we saved him from being a spot on the road.
Must run. The jackhammer-thingy is back to work and I better go help. Have a good weekend!
XOXO,
Anna
WOW! That guy is ZOO BIG!
He’s really big…we’ve saved several of those guys, not that big….he’s an old guy. We’ve had them hiss at us too.
So funny Anna, My middle kid always and still does love Turtles, he has a huge one now in his basement.(His name is crush) When he was in grade school he caught a great big one and bought a kiddie pool for it, it eventually got away.:(
That turtle is so cool… nothing like that here in the UK!
He’s pretty mean and scary looking. I don’t think I’d want my fingers anywhere near his beaky little mouth!
Have fun with your demolition. I bought paint for my spare room (soon to be my *new* sewing room) two weeks ago and there it sits, still in the cans.
Big boy! Happy you helped in the rescue and didn’t lose any fingers in the progress.
Well done to all the heroes! I wouldn’t have a clue what to do with a turtle!
Glad you got some pictures…and cool tip about the flash. I’ll check that out next time I get the camera out :o)
That turtle gives wrinkles a whole new meaning!
Thanks so much for the camera tip! I’m one of those who neglects to read the manual, and wonders why my pictures are so horrible. :-)
You guys are so nice to give the turtle a ride to the creek. We have a box turtle that comes to our back patio to eat cat food.
Thanks for the great tip Anna! I’ve often wondered about that little button (maybe I should’ve read the manual? *roflol*). Will be trying it out today :o)
Master 14 has just told me, after I called everyone to see your piccy of the turtle, that snapping turtles can’t retreat into their shell because their body is too big. That’s why they evolved the beaks and claws! He can be so pompous sometimes ;-> Like, duh, I should’ve known that! *grin*.
Have a fun day, toni xxx
Ooh, interesting turtle run-in.
I would really like to see your before and after flash pictures. I have a similar button that I use to pop up my flash when I’m shooting in manual and someone has a wedding in a really horridly lit church :{ Maybe mine has more than one function!
You know those things can bite your fingers off don’t you? And then you couldn’t type or sew. That would be terrible. You did a good deed to move him to safety.
Wow, what a “monster” of a turtle. I’ve never seen one like that and you’ve got them in right in your neighborhood. And your neighbors seems to be pretty cool too saving that turtle together.
Snapping turtles can also “jump” and snap…they can jump an amazing distance and they are VERY mean. I am glad you saved him….I am amazed you didn’t get hurt. I have several turtle stories…………I like yours. Happy ending!!
We don’t have turtles here only tortoises and they only give you a nasty suck. Glad you rescued him, though.
Wow, the only snapping turtle I have ever seen was in a zoo!! That is quite funny. I am so glad to be home – vacations are great but tiring :) I need to be home and relax, sleep in my own bed. The $900 duty was sad, but on a bright note I found the perfect dress to wear to my son’s wedding in August.
ohhhhhhhhhhhhh bless you for saving him…he is probably ancient!!!! once I saw one in the street in Missouri when I was visiting there, I made my friend pull over so I could see it closer…we dont have those things here in cali…lol,,,GOOD SAVE!!!!!
Oh my, your wildlife is so much more exciting than mine. And the flash tip? I had no idea, thank you.
You’re a better man than me, Thimbleanna! I wouldn’t touch that thing with a ten foot pole. Good work saving him.
Oh this turtel is so cool.
I love that old guys.
But you won´t find them on our streets
When I was little, growing up on a farm in Michigan I have a vivid memory of my dad bringing home a snapping turtle. He put it up on the porch. It snapped a broom handle in half and scared the daylights out of my sisters and I. They are not to be messed with!!
man!! did everyone count their fingers and toes after the ‘catch and release’ event?? those turtles are mean!!
OH.MY.GOSH. that thing is HUGE. i had no idea you had monstrous turtles in Indiana. Had i known that earlier in our relationship, i’m most certain you could have coaxed me away from the ocean, wine country, orchards and back yard oasis to move to Indiana! Now, however, i’m older and more set in my ways and it will be much more difficult for me to make such a change.
:waves madly
that is one mean looking son of a turtle … and now i’m gonna go to bed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles song in my head … heroes in a half shell – turtle power
Hang ten, dude…those are claws! We used to have a turtle migrate across our backyard every spring. It was fun to watch but we never attempted an introduction. thanks for the camera tip; I’ve used it on my dslr but should look to see if I have it on my point-and-shoot.
Wow! That turtle was a big one. I remember driving through Oklahoma, and we couldn’t dodge the turtles on the road, there were so many of them. They were little ones though.
You and hubby were good samaritans:)
I can’t compete with a turtle – all I saw on the road this morning were lots of snails!! Hope the demolition is going well. I must check out the camera flash, see if I can do that too, as I don’t like using flash – it makes everything look washed-out!
That is one giant ugly turtle!!! We have a couple in our back yard but none that big. WOW!! He’d fit right in here with the zoo we have got going on.
Jackhammer thingy! Funny. I was jut telling my husband I’m going to need one of those to weed one of our gardens that is mostly clay dirt!
That turtle doesn’t know how lucky he is that Mrs. Thimbleanna didn’t make him into soup. ;)
First off that turtle is amazing. Secondly you are way over my head with camera stuff. One of these days I’m going to take a class.
I enjoyed your turtle story. We’ve come across a few of those snapping turtles in the road too, and always stop and take them to a nearby lake. My husband is an expert at critter handling and he picks them up very carefully! LOL. It’s always fun to see something like that. :)
Holy giant snapping turtle, Batman! He’s amazing. The only thing we get here are the little box turtles that get lost on their way from the creek in the woods behind us. I think I’m happy with that! lol
Hope the demolition is close to ending and you can get to the fun stuff!
That’s a big snapper! We don’t usually see them unless we are close to the river, but sometimes they go walking cross-country. Cool pics.
Jody
That’s a whoppppper of a turtle and so nice you saved him and put him in a better spot! Cool camera tip.
Oh my gosh, we do not have turtles period, let alone giant snapping ones. Cool!! Clarice
Red red red……
Okay – that last comment wasn’t on the right post was it ;-)
My new camera has that setting as well, but I have yet to use it since I prefer to use no flash as well. There are so many features I need to sit down and learn about!
Red knobs for sure. Anybody can have black ones!!!
Alright – I’m trying this. I have a Canon SLR, but I bet it has a similar feature. Which would be a good thing given that pop up flash is a nightmare and I refuse to carry that big ass flash attachment.
I’m very needy.