This is about as exciting as it gets around here . . new tires on the Honda. My old tires looked brand new and had only about 25,000 miles but were almost five years and showing signs of dry rot. Not enough driving!! Sure wish Chad had that problem. 
I figure it’s cheaper to replace the tires every five years than to buy the gas to put more miles on the car, right?
Our McDonald’s is closed and being torn down. It will be replaced by a brand, spanking new McDonald’s. Since I’ve only been in there once in 18 months, guess I won’t miss it too much til it’s re-opened. Watch me get this terrible craving for a Quarter Pounder! Very doubtful!
Look who’s back. Think this is the same deer returning to my yard over and over? Sometimes I see a whole herd of them back there . . like 12 or 13, but lately there’s just been one. He’s pretty but I surely wish he’d find a new place to graze so I can plant things in my yard.
Sorry this picture’s kinda blurry. I was scared of this thing. What is it? If this was Louisiana . . I’d be real happy! Oh wait . . that’s not what I was going to say. If this was Louisiana, I’d think it was a nutria but I bet nutrias aren’t around here.
Send the kids out of the room for the next picture. Are these turtles doing what I think they’re doing? Surely not . . in broad, open daylight in my back yard! What’s the world coming to? I’ll just assume for the sake of this discussion that they’re doing what I think they’re doing and the one in front is a girl. Look at her shell . . looks like something been chomping on it. Poor thing!
OK . . I return to G-rated blog content!
Judy
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Your unidentified animal looks like a woodchuck. I’d never seen one in my life until a few years ago and now they are everywhere. Of course we’ve seen wolves, cougars and plenty of bobcats in our corner of Nebraska as well.
Linda
We call woodchucks groundhogs but I agree that is what it is. Look at those happy turtles! Well, one of them is happy! As usual now she has to do all of the work. Do you think they get morning sickness?
Yup, looks like a groundhog to me. I would love to have your wildlife problem as opposed to the stray cat problem that is growing in my area.
Woodchuck is my guess. I know they’re in Joplin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog
I did not know they are the same thing as a ground hog! Learn something every day!
Thanks for the laugh, I enjoyed the post and needed it to wake up for the last 30 minutes or so of my work day.
Love the frisky turtles. We saw a similar act of passion at the giant tortoise exhibit at the San Diego zoo. Yep, I’m pretty sure that’s what they’re doing. The species is not inflicted with modesty.
ROFLOL!
Groundhog is my guess too. We’ve got them by the hundreds out on Antelope Island. You gotta be careful when riding a horse from falling in the groundhop holes.
Naughty turtles! We had a similar experience too at Hogle Zoo (Salt Lake) with the Big cats (Lion, tigers, etc.) I was a helper on a school field trip…didn’t think I was going to have to explain SO much to the kids!
Suzanne
Judi, I have to laugh because I went from your post with the turtles to my local paper on-line. The lead story was about turtles and mating season. Here’s a link to the story:
http://tinyurl.com/47a5qw
Uh-huh—groundhog or, as they’re also known, woodchucks. I saw one just this a.m. on my daily walk. They’re not nearly as cute (or entertaining, obviously) as the turtles!
You think turtles mating is entertaining, just wair until the woodchucks start mating…..now that is Xrated!!!! But Judy, you are adjusting so well to small town living……wildlife, tire changing, building demo……….life just doesn’t get any better.
Karen L
It’s a regular wildlife refuge where you are! I knew it wasn’t a nutria, but I was going to guess a gopher — you know, like the ones that ate all the landscaping I did on the hill in three days flat!
That McDonald’s opened in 1982. It was the first fast food resturant in Nevada. We did have Sonic, a small “farmers” homecooking across from Sonic, 54 cafe, White Grill, KFC, Pizza Hut, Baines Del-Way and something on the SE corner or the square. That was it at that time. As you can imagine McDonalds created a BIG hit.
Yep. Woodchuck. and some interesting turtles. We used to get deer in our yard, too. They’d eat out of the bird feeder! Now our neighborhood has expanded, so we rarely see deer any more.
I needed the laugh this morning. The turtle picture is just too funny.
It looks like a groundhog to me. I’ve been seeing those things in KY, too!
They’re remodeling the McDonalds here and also the Sonic. Guess they have to keep up their image.
Wow, your own little nature exhibits!
We used to raise turtles, they get a lot more ‘uninhibited’ than that! :-O Thanks for the giggles! 
LOL! You are too funny!
What is a nutria? Never heard of it!
Whatever the mystery animal is…I would have been scared as well.
The turtles look happy!
Hugs,
Traci
In Missouri, you can shoot (and eat!) wildlife that is causing damage to your property. So plant a carrot, catch Bambi, and smoke him. Tasty!
(going back into hiding because I know that won’t go over well)
Isn’t it great that the simplest things make us happy! New tires, deer, turtles (love that one) even news of McDs.
CJ, that’s funny! smoked Bambi. Yummers.
LOL! Cute turtles!