Shhhhhhh. You can come with me, but you’ll have to be quiet.  I’ve got all the gear we’ll need for our excursion. Fisherman’s waders. A couple PB and J sandwiches. Binoculars. Notebook. Camera.

Off we go to Hidden Pond! We’re turtle watching. I’ve been there every day this week. Just watching turtles. You know something? Turtles don’t do much. Except in spring when the females leave the water to lay their eggs on dry land. We’re here to watch the turtle traffic because I’m making a book about a painted turtle.

My work as an artist reflects my love of animals. As a kid I made the rounds of neighborhood window wells to rescue animals trapped inside. I never knew what I would find. There was usually a toad or two, but every once in a while something special would turn up like a spotted salamander or garter snake. I brought the animals home to our garage and kept them in habitats I created in cardboard boxes and plastic buckets. (more ...)