. . . He swims in everything he knows,

and what he knows is never forgotten. . .

~ Excerpt from “Swimming with a Hundred Year Old Snapping Turtle, Freya Manfred

The rain made all the difference today. And tonight. A wonderful drenching. Starting late morning. Did not go for a walk until late afternoon. An insistent one coaxed me out. We put on raincoats. We opened our mouths and let in the drops. I wore my flip flops. All the bunnies sheltered. All the leaves were washed. Every hair on our heads, bleached summer blonde, got wet. The river was pelted. The brook still dry, not running. Maybe the morning? We finally went inside for dinner. But immediately, were all called back out. My youngest and her boyfriend were on their own rainy walk and they discovered that today is hatchling day! The turtles lay their eggs in holes dug in June. In September the hatchling eggs crack open, they dig their way out of the hole and must find their way to the river. The first September we lived here, twenty years ago, we found dozens for days, their slow march to the Charles. The yard had been uninhabited by humans for a few years, so the turtles had overpopulated. Now, there are fewer. See the picture with hands? Even Charlie’s paw makes the scene. We carried them across the field to the muddy river’s edge and let their journey begin. Tonight, met with Monday night poets. This morning worked on the poem I started yesterday. We had a wonderful session. Great poems and great feedback. I felt so grateful; we all did. And for the fine and steady healthy rain after drought and our terrific time getting wet in it.