Stone Faces Hide The Heart

Some people are so cold and emotionally distant.

They go around with a stone face.  

No emotion seems to seep in or out. 

The face doesn’t betray the heart in any way. 

You say something or do something, and they just sort of stare at you. 

No words, no outward response. 

Just a stone face like a poker face. 

You don’t know what’s behind it. 

But worse yet is a heart of stone–nothing impacts the inside just like the outside. 

Are some people this way because they have been so hurt in the past that they become hardened like a turtle’s shell to protect from the outside world. 

…Ain’t gonna let nothing hurt me again. 

Or are they great at using their poker face to fool, manipulate, and get what they are after. 

Perhaps the worst possibility is that they are simply a real psychopath–someone without conscience or empathy. 

Yes, that is scary because the unthinkable becomes thinkable. 

For most of us, reading verbal and non-verbal cues is critical to understanding other people. 

Hiding those cues can mean that the stone face is going to shatter someone’s world and that won’t be a pretty face at all. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

@Catoctin Wildlife Preserve

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

Turtle Tank

I took this photo while kayaking yesterday in Maryland.

Turtles are one of my favorite creatures. 

The challenge in photographing them while they sun tan on the tree trunk is that when you get to close they simply dive into the water. 

This one turtle was a little older and larger, and was basically fearless. 

We paddled right up to him and  he held steady there.

So awesome–turtles live in and by the beautiful water, have a tank-like protective armor, and are basically peaceful loving.

While I never got into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I think the real ones are all that. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Awesome Turtle

This turtle was awesome. 

Another hiker found him at the top of the mountain.


When he first showed it to us, the turtle’s head was completely hiding in its shell.


After a while, the turtle decided to poke its head out and check out the scenario, and us. 


As you can see, both the shell and the turtle’s body is this incredible art deco combination of yellow and black in all sorts of cool geometric shapes. 


In the Fall season’s leaves, I imagine this turtle blends right on in–making it am even more amazing find today. 


The guy holding the turtle put him down for a second, and this turtle was almost off and running at turtle speed. 


Cute little fellow! 


(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)