"Turtle in the Road!"

That was what I yelled as I drove my children to the bus stop for their last day of school.

I flashed back to a very sad, hot summer day a long time ago, when I jumped out of my car in a vain attempt to save a turtle stuck in the road. I was standing on the side of the road waiting for one last car to pass before I could run out to grab the turtle..... well - that last car.... I cried for quite a long time.

This turtle was not going to be left in the road! I stopped and scooped up the turtle who immediately pulled in his (gender verified by herp loving friend) head and hissed. I set him down on the passenger-side floor mat and he immediately started crawling around. The children were so excited and wanted to know what we were going to do with him. At first I said I would take him home and let him go in our garden, but then I remembered the lawn-cutting crew who managed to run over a rabbit last year and I thought not.

A local park, Monocacy Park, has a nature area - perfect! After the children got on the bus I took him home for some photos.

The children had a half-day for the last day so after they came home we all went to the park where we let him go. He happily ambled off into the woody underbrush as we said our goodbyes and wished him well.