Why in the World Would Someone Paint a Box Turtle's Shell?

While collecting firewood out in the woods today, Johny showed me this box turtle.  He said someone had painted it's shell white, and that he'd heard people do this when they have a turtle as a pet and want to identify them as "theirs".  I was appalled at the thought, and wondered (and continue to) why in the world someone would do this!  Can anyone out there enlighten me on this practice?  I'm having a hard time understanding this...

Moving on to prettier things (not that the box turtle wasn't a lovely creature, I'm referring to my reaction to the paint...), the Fall sky continues to be bright blue and speckled with leaves falling from the trees.  I have been trying to capture the falling leaves in a video, so I can share with you the incredible dances I see them create as they fall, but have yet to be in the right place at the right time with my finger on the trigger (so to speak).   This is the best I could do today, with several leaves flying about (this view is looking above our cabin into the mountains behind us (north), not the same mountain view I typically show you (NW). 

Life is good here.  How could it not be?  It has been busy "to do" days since I have returned, so tomorrow, we are heading to the Dillsboro Colorfest, it should be great fun and I can't wait to tell  you all about it!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise