Lights Out for Loggerheads

My family and I had the rare experience of watching a Loggerhead lay her eggs our last night of vacation at Edisto. We have spent many summer vacations on the island, but have never encountered a turtle before!

Kevin and I decided to talk a final stroll on the beach our last night in town. We walked up the beach a little ways and then turned around to head back. The moon was not up, so the beach was pretty dark. Kevin pointed out a dark object in the surf. I shined my flashlight towards the area and let out a gasp - "It's a Turtle!"

I quickly turned off my light and we stood still as we watched to see what she would do. Slowly, the Loggerhead crawled out the of surf and made her way up the beach. We could only make out her shadow most of the time, but she would stop every few feet as if to rest and ensure her surrounding were safe.

Kevin went and called my parents to come down as I continued to watch our flippered friend drag herself up the sand. She did a couple of test digs before she settled on the perfect spot for her eggs. Her flippers were flinging sand in all directions and then she sat perfectly still while she laid her eggs. The sand flinging continued as the turtle worked to carefully coverup her future offspring for safe keeping. Once she was happy with her nest construction, she turned around and headed back towards the sea. Daddy snapped a picture of the turtle as she moved her way back down the beach before she disappeared into the waves.

The encounter was truly amazing. In about 60 days, the eggs will hatch into little Loggerheads and begin their journey to the ocean.

So Long, Summer

The summer season may have just started according to the calendar, but my summer is practically over! I guess I can't complain much seeing as how I have not worked since the end of February. But it wasn't until I actually signed my contract with District 6 at the end of May that I was able to really enjoy my brief house-wife status.

Over the next month I will have three days of Promethean Board training, a day of new-hire orientation, a four-day workshop for Common Core Math Standards, two days of Induction training and probably a couple of days for cheer camp. I am also going to two days of cheer camp at MSP to help prepare me for the world of middle school cheering.

If nothing else, all these days of class and training will help thrust me back into the teacher mindset. At least Kevin has ensured that my bulletin board skills have stayed up-to-snuff over the years. 

A Melissa-Made Bulletin Board at MSP