Photo-op

Man, it's sweltering outside. On my way to the post office (I am so lucky we have one here on campus!) to mail a special item, I stopped to take some pictures of it. I didn't have time to take photos for my blog entry featuring said item this morning at home, so I took it outside near our campus' turtle pond since I wasn't feeling the fluorescent lit atmosphere in the lab. Ew and who wants pictures of the lab anyways?

I know I have said this before...but I love our turtle pond. It's kinda sad to admit, but it's one of the reasons that I chose to come to UT. I loved that they had a turtle pond, and I knew that I would love to walk by it everyday and look at the turtles and be envious of their easy-happy-go-lucky-basking-in-the-sun kind of lives. I guess I live vicariously through them, because my life is anything but that right now.

The pond is pretty much right outside my building, sits under the watchful shadow of the bell tower, and there is a nice grassy area nearby that is partially shaded by ancient oak trees. A lot of people hang out here and eat lunch or read a book and study. (I am highly jealous of these people too) The pond consists of three tiers. (You can double click the pictures if a better view is needed)

View of the pond from the lowest level

The uppermost level is filled with lotus flowers. Then next come the water lilies and koi. Ryan and I have seen a snapping turtle in this section before, but I have not seen him in a while. The second tier has a little waterfall leading to the lowest level that is filled with red-ear sliders and box turtles. There are probably close to a hundred of these turtles in there. Ryan taught me how to identify the different types...otherwise I wouldn't have a clue!

Some little guys basking on a rock

more tanning turtles

There are several basking rocks and usually they are fighting and clawing a way to get out into the sun. Sometimes it's really funny because they will be stacked three high, with a little baby one on the top. And they all lay there doing the "superman" (you know, that exercise that works your lower back where you lay on your stomach and raise your arms and legs up off the ground) ...kinda like the little guy towards the back of the rock in the top photo. I wish I could have gotten a shot of them stacked as such, but there were a bunch of kids out tossing bread and there was pretty much a feeding frenzy going on at the other end of the pond.

turtle hobby #2: begging for food

feeding craziness

This poor guy was stuck up in level two looking over the waterfall at his buddies chowing bread.

lone water lily

I love water lilies. Usually there are tons of them, but there was only this one today. But when they bloom, they do in pink, yellow, white and orange. So pretty.

Moving on to the lotus level....
I think these flowers are absolutely, amazingly gorgeous. I apologize in advance for the lighting. I went out right in the middle of the day, so some of the pics are a bit saturated.

the tall leafiness of the lotus

every here and there, a beauty pokes through! Two different stages of openness...

So delicate and peaceful

From a different angle...

one gone to seed. In case you were wondering what those big, brown bee-hivey looking additions to bouquets were, its these once dried!

Oh mom, Jerry says "hi" =)

Completely unrelated to my turtle pond excursion... In case y'all didn't know. I love my cats.

Tesia overseeing one of her mom's projects...

and getting completely exhausted in the process

They are such great company and they crack me up. Especially Ramses. He is such a character. I love how they both have to be where I am at, they talk to me, follow me around and are so engaging. Ramses is practically my little sidekick. He is always involved in whatever I am doing whether it's wrapping gifts, making dinner and especially eating dinner. But I love them both so much.

Ramses on the couch with Ryan watching a movie during a movie night
He is so sweet, look how he is grabbing Ryan's arm with his legs. So cute.