Exciting exciting exciting news, my friends! Geronimo and I were reunited yesterday!!

It was no surprise, really, but still thrilling. I actually found him further toward the front in his burrow earlier in the week, on Wednesday when I got home from work. He was facing in, and facing in means that he’d been out. I couldn’t be sure that he was out out for the season, though, because the nighttime/early morning low temps were still down in the 40’s! I thought he might have come out for a day-visit.

But I had strong suspicions. I was almost sure that he was emerging to bask in the sun for a few hours every day, and that I was just missing him. I couldn’t wait for the weekend! This is the first spring with him here that I’m not at home all day during the week, so I’d figured I’d have to wait for the weekend before I could really greet him.

So yesterday was Saturday, and it was later in the afternoon when I saw him. He was half-way back in his burrow. I don’t know how, but I almost missed him again, even though I was here all day! I’d gone out periodically to check, too.

 

 

I ran into the house to grab my phone so I could take pics. He was already heading back in! I was afraid he was going to be gone when I got back out, but I found him all the way out again and coming toward me. He was sleepy and slow, but I could tell that he was truckin’. We were both so excited. My little scale-baby!!

I filled his large plant dish and set him in to soak. He needed to rehydrate after his long winter underground. He immediately stuck his head underwater and drank and drank and drank and blew bubbles through his nostrils.

 

 

 

Then we were off on our first spring trek together through the yard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went around the yard together for the next half-hour, and I fed him flowers every other step of the way. He was HUNGRY for those hibiscus flowers!

 

 

He also munched happily on the young spring grasses and weeds growing everywhere.

 

 

And we bonded!

 

 

He snuggled up to my leg, then climbed over me. My son is a climber.

 

 

 

Cuddles and pets and scritches!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He likes to kick dirt out behind him as he goes into his burrow. That’s the nature of Geronimo. He digs, climbs, eats, snuggles, and loves with his whole huge, gentle tortoise heart.

He’s not out in full turbo-Geronimo force yet, though. He’s still sleepy. This morning he dozed contentedly under my finger as I rubbed slow circles on the top of his head. I’m seeing low temps in the 40’s forecasted for the next few nights, so we’re still in the process! He’ll be in, he’ll be out, but he’s definitely not hibernating anymore, especially since he’s hydrated and eaten.

I hope you’re all happy and well, too!