Pattern and Camouflage and Code

There are natural patterns and man-made patterns in our lives.  

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary,   "A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design,[1] or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated like a wallpaper design. Any of the senses may directly observe patterns. Conversely, abstract patterns in science, mathematics, or language may be observable only by analysis. Direct observation in practice means seeing visual patterns, which are widespread in nature and in art. Visual patterns in nature are often chaotic, rarely exactly repeating, and often involve fractals. Natural patterns include spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tilings, cracks, and those created by symmetries of rotation and reflection."

And patterns are also a part of the rhythm of life. According to William Morrison Patterson (go here for his complete book!)  "The psychologists have long since recognized that rhythm is the result of a complex process, whose operation can never be reduced to any one short formula."  And I would like to add that since we get our inspiration from nature we may try so hard to fit it into mathematical precision and fail.

Well, having gone the long way around with this post, I started thinking about this when I encountered a resident turtle in my garden bed close to my front door.  I saw him/her in spring and for at least three weeks he/she never moved much.  Maybe only a few yards.  Then he/she would return and bury itself just beneath the layer of tree leaves.  I left it to be except for checking every now and again to see if it was still there.  You can become mesmerized by this exotic pattern and color with slightly rhythmic repetition.  This color is marvelous!

We are in a drought and so I dropped some watermelon slices and some strawberries from the garden which got nibbled.  One day after a rain he/she got moving in a larger area.

I thought that he/she would wander out of the yard, but was surprised when the next day I saw it back under the leaves.  I have read they have an area of about a mile that they explore.

So, again I got it more sliced strawberries on one day and a slice of watermelon on another day during this dry spell as I wrote above.  Of course.  Perhaps you can see the little red strawberry slice in the lower right area.

He/she was still there resting under the leaves and only coming out to explore every so often.  That shell pattern reminds me a bit of hieroglyphics.  Then if I let my imagination run wild I think about how we-NASA sent a Vetruvian man into outer space to communicate with aliens, and in return, perhaps, aliens have sent turtles to us to communicate.

What does this say?  Something else lives within a foot or so of this area and I usually disturb it when visiting the turtle.  The leaves will crackle and something will jump just in front of my bare toes and then wait as if I cannot see it.

Look at that amazing pattern.  It obviously is perfect for camouflage among the gray and darker dead leaves. Or maybe it is also a message from another being?