Inn of the Wandering Dragon

"I didn't know you had the gift of prophesying, too," Stiv remarked.
"Oh I don't, not really. It's a lunar thing, a side effect really, of
Photography. Information flutters through you, unbidden. Rarely wrong though,
when it comes, but pay it no mind if you'd rather not."
"Well, thanks," Stiv said, not sure he was thankful. To be told what would
come by a shapeshifting, alcoholic turtle Photographer had never really
been in his scheme of things.

Traveling on the bus into downtown this morning I had to re-read this passage
about three times. Later when the guys picked me up from the train station I
was still giggling, "Not feeling the cold this morning?" they asked. My reply,
"nope, not when there are middle aged alcoholic sea turtles involved!" Needless to say I have them all firmly convinced that I am "really weird". This was followed by even more giggling the rest of the way to work.

The above passage is from the book, Green Music, by Ursula Pflug and I very much
recomend it to everyone. It is at turns, funny, surreal and disturbing as the bridge between two worlds is slowly discovered. And frankly no description of mine is going to do it justice, you'll just have to read the book!

Most people who have been to my place of work think having my desk next to
the pond is fabulous. The rest all figure I must run to the bathroom every
half hour due to the sound of running water, I assure you that is not the case. There
are no sea turtles in the pond but there is one lovely turtle by the name of
Myrtle. The name was no doubt originally picked for the rhyme but an interesting
side note is that the myrtle plant was believed to be sacred to the Greek
goddess Aphrodite. It is used to create one of the national drinks of Sardinia,
and it is one of the four sacred plants in the Jewish Tabernacles Festival. (Isn't Wikki wonderful?)

My friends are used to me regaling them with stories of the pond inhabitants and their adventures. Myrtle has been an occasional escape artist when the mood strikes. Anyone willing to give up and cry defeat has not watched a little turtle attempt to scale a large and nearly vertical rock. Over and over. And over again for good measure - this little lady is the posterchild for determination! Would that we all had that much drive in our endeavors. I know I anthropomorphize my animal neighbors - I do it to my cat all the time! But still I can not help but admire her. Myrtle reminds me of my own crazy wanderings and in watching her I feel that, maybe, one day I'll be able to do those things again. Why not? Myrtle climbs near verticle rocks everyspring, so I'm sure my season will come again. ;)