Nature, right here in my apartment complex

So I've lived in my apartment for a little over a year now, but it's only been within the last month or so that I started feeding the fish.  The complex's name of Riverbend is a little deceptive.  There's no river, and I haven't seen Pocahontas yet (you know, because she's "Just Around the Riverbend," and yes, I still sing that phrase in my head any time someone asks me where I live).  But there is a neat water feature, complete with cascading water (thanks to the gurguling water pumped out of the PVC piping and the strategically placed rocks and boulders), goldfish, blue fish, tadpoles, and, best of all, turtles.  There are baby turtles (adorable!), teenage turtles (at least according to the women in the office, and no, they're not mutants, nor are they ninjas), and a couple of adult turtles. 

I started my feeding route close to the front office, where the goldfish gather and a few baby turtles sun themselves on the rocks.  As I made my way around the water feature, the fish got a little more skittish and a lot more aggressive.  The blue fish live just past the bridge to the pool, and they'll literally jump out of the water for their food.  It was here that I met my first adult turtle, and the best part--rather than being scared of me, he actually climbed up to the edge of the water, getting closer to me, and eventually he ate out of my hand.  How cool is that?!?

A few days later I discovered the "feeding spot" thanks to the maintenance man who scoops leaves out of the water on a regular basis.  He mentioned that the turtles come swimming when he stands there, and that was all the encouragement I needed.  From then on, after my obligatory rounds of the "upper levels," I make my way to the bare spot in the middle of the ornamental grass bordering the water.  Sure enough, the turtles are willing to brave the blue fish who'll snatch the food from right in front of them.  At my last count there were 2 adults, 2 teens, and at least 6 baby turtles (not counting the two baby sunbathers from the upper level), and all of them came swimming, hoping for a nibble.  Only the one adult has been brave enough to eat from my hand, but I'm hopeful more will follow suit.

This summer I taught Comp I at the University.  I'd ride the bus in the morning, and return to the apartment around lunch time.  After that first day of feeding, I was hooked, and a stop by the office to get a cup full of food became a daily ritual.  No matter what kind of day I'd had in class, I was still awed by this little oasis of nature, in the middle of a college town, and the peace that came from observing and immersing myself in God's creation.  So thank you, God, for fish, and tadpoles, and turtles, and an apartment manager who provides free fish food to feed them.