The Tall Texas Tale of Tree-Toppling Tortoises

Our old peach tree in the dog-legged corner of the backyard has been hammered in the past.  Major limbs have been snapped by storms and on some occasions by the over-burdening of ripe, juicy fruit.  Either way, it became time for chain saw surgery to remove those snapped limbs and let new growth regenerate more boughs that would provide more peaches the next season in mid-June.

So it was while I was mowing the lawn under the peach tree amply loaded with a fine crop of ripening peaches this season, that I thought to myself; I should prop some support under these heavy limbs.  Well, I fear my thoughts were too late, for my pair of tortoises were noticing the very same peaches I was.

Peach boughs heavy with fruit in early June

Come morning light, I am dismayed by the sight of a toppled center of our peach tree.  I see Chomper the tortoise nonchalantly strolling around under the downed limb.  

Chomper acting like nothing happened - but I have my suspicions.
Here is photographic proof of Chomper strolling around the toppled tree,
coincidence - I think not!

Chomper trying to "act natural"
But I see that little smirk on his face.

I can only conclude that he and his troublesome brother, Isaac, had shimmied up the peach tree in the night, bounced up and down on the limbs until they had their desired effect, to topple the fruit-laden branches down to the ground for easy snacking.  Oh! Those mischievous reptiles!

The damage done

Chomper secretly laughs in my face.

Some suggest that the tortoise may not be to blame.  They suggest that the night's thunderstom's winds and rain collecting on the leaves, along with the heavy crop of peaches may have been the true cause of the tree's collapse.

But I think I hear tortoises laughing behind my back.