A painted turtle rested on a log that was situated on the surface of a cold pond. Hibernation had recently ended, and the reptile basked in every moment of sunshine that occurred on the otherwise cloudy day.
The pond was still and cold. Its dark hue reflected surrounding trees and shrubbery yet to turn green. Ends and angles of sticks and logs protruded from the water’s surface. On one of those logs was a round shape, an irregularity among the flat water and squiggles of wood. But it was not quite an irregularity after all. It was a painted turtle, a common pond resident. Fine lines divided the turtle’s dark, smooth shell into a mosaic. A pattern of slightly thicker yellow and orange lines adorned its head, limbs, and tail, all of which extended from the hard natural armor still shiny with dampness.
Sunshine peeked through the cloudy sky and instantly brightened the landscape. The turtle closed its eyes. Its shell quickly became matte as it dried in the sun. After spending the winter season hibernating under the mud at the bottom of the pond, the cold-blooded reptile enjoyed one of its first sunny moments of the year.
Around the pond, on other logs situated in the water, a few more painted turtles basked in the warm sunshine. With webbed feet tipped with claws, they had climbed onto their perches and took a break from being underwater, taking advantage of the natural source of heat. Warmer weather had arrived. Hibernation was over. The turtles were waking up.