EPISODE 596 OF BARNS AND TURTLES — AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE
alan skeoch
June 11, 2022
“Too much change is not good for the soul, Marjorie.”
“What made you say that ungodly thing Alan?’
“We have seen too much change, why can’t our wold stand still?”
“Indeed, why cannot our small corner of the planet resist the turmoil of change?
June 11, 2022 and we were driving to the farm taking a less
travelled road up the Sixth line, northern corner of Halton County en route
top our farm. Change was coming with the speed of summer lightning.
Not all bad. Not at all bad, I suppose/ Homes, warehouses, factories,
a gas power plant….places we all love and need. I suppose.
But standing…barely standing…not long to remain standings was this
derelict barn. One large corner ripped open. A mortal wound.
No longer does it house the horses we saw there just a couple of
years ago. No milking cows of long long ago. The house still
stands with broken windows and nailed shut doorways. The family
gone. A farm no more.
Worth a short drive just to see this. Better world to come. We hope
and pray. Urban community with jobs and schools and plazas being
built as we drive. But something is lost.
Then a real reminder happened.
Reminder of change appeared in front of our truck.
“Alan, snapping turtle on the road.”
“Stop the truck,I’ll get him or her into the deep grass.”
“Watch out, snapping turtles have long necks and sharp mouths.”
“Just lift it with the toe of my boot….over and over…tumbling.”
“Don’t hurt it.”
“Better my boot than a truck tire.”
“Sad…the turtle has no place to go…home being bulll dozed…ponds being drained.”
“If the snapper can reach Sixteen Mile Creek, there is hope…the Creek is large
and cannot be disturbed.”
“Why is it on the road anyway?”
“June is turtle egg laying time I believe.”
“Not much hope for baby snapping turtles around here.”
“Couldn’t we get the poor thing in a box and release it in our ponds?”
“Good idea…should have done that.”
“Not sure Woody the dog would be happy with the snapping turtle waddling around in
the back of the truck.
We drove on
alan