Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Cousin Snails

As some of you may know, we have had a very snail filled summer so far. It started with my interest in the fact that snails have ravaged the little flower border I planted along my porch. This interested Scout and she eventually found a few on the porch and played with them and wanted them inside. We put them in a little box for a few hours and it was enough time for her to form a strong bond with these nasty gooey insect things. When I told her it was time to take them back outside, she didn't really protest, but sat on the porch with them for 15 minutes talking to them in a sad little voice about how much she was going to miss them and on and on and on. Long story short, they now reside in a jar in our house with some holes poked in the top, every other day, cleaned out by me (yes, snails do poo) and are given a fresh leaf of lettuce from our fridge. They are referred to as the mommy, daddy and baby snail.

So the other day, I see some snails resting happy as clams in the shade under our front plants while turning the hose on. I told Scout we were going on a snail hunt (I have a garden you know and don't want snails. I HATE snails! They are vile and ugly and most of all, eat my plants). I figured the best way to get rid of them is to pluck them from where they sleep and discard them. Scout was only too eager to help me out, which is good, because I am a bit squeemish and don't relish touching them if I ever can help it. We got a zip loc bag and started going to town. We explored in all our bushes and pluck pluck plucked resting snails from every cranny we could find. This is the result:


I honestly don't know what I was planning to do with them when I was done. I am not above smashing a single snail if noticed on the street or somewhere, but that much snail carnage at one time makes me a little uneasy. Yes, there is a soft spot with me even for snails. I suppose I could have lied to Scout and at some point closed up the bag, tossed them in the trash and forgotten about them and fed her a story (I think that would have disturbed me a little, for a while anyway). While I was pondering what to do, Scout wanted to go upstairs to the office and show daddy our haul. He thought they were really cool and thought maybe we could take them to a new home down by the river. Scout was opposed at first until I reminded her that there was no way we were keeping a hundred snails. They were almost immediately named "the cousin snails" (side note: I should mention that inbetween the jarred snails and the great snail hunt, Scout found another snail and wanted to add it to the jar. I told her no, she may not bring any more snails in the jar, she may only have the 3 she already had. She said, "but this is the cousin snail". Daddy wisely pointed out that cousins live in other houses, so it was set back outside and for a while (a few days) she would periodically open the front door and yell out, "Hi Amy snail!" --for those of you that don't know, Amy is my sister and mother to 5 of Scout's cousins in Wyoming. For the record, all of Scout's beloved relatives are dubbed "cousins". Aunts, Uncles, grandma, grandpa they are all just referred to collectively as the cousins.--) Anyway, we finally got her on board with the new snail home which outlines the golf course by our house and is perhaps a 2 minute drive from our house, but there is a substantual cliff seperating us, so they shall never find their way back to my tomatoes or beans. This was a satisfying option for me too, so we took that picture on the stairs, Scout's snail family wanted to come along for the ride, and we all piled into the car to make our drop. We got there and walked around until we found a nice little grassy area next to a bush and the water (and a substantial amount of circling birds -do birds eat snails? If so, they were eating good that night!) We dropped off the cousin snails and took a picture:
So that's our snail tale. My favorite part about the story (besides the fact that all those pictured snails used to reside in my front yard, are now far far away) came a day or two ago. Rob has taken to going to the golf course on nights I work and he and Scout go play 9 holes together. This is Scout's biggest thrill to go in the golf cart with daddy. The Cedar Hills Course is very very hilly and has long cart rides that include a tunnel, so this is as you can imagine a very exciting thing to go do with daddy while mommy is away. She is so good and well behaved and does exactly what he tells her to do while out there (she must have an internal knowledge of golf etiquette in there somewhere). Anyway, I just think that is so cute they go do that. While on the first or second hole you are at the top and can happen to see the snail drop off zone and the other day Scout looks, recognizes it and goes, "dad! Look, it's snail Wyoming!"

14 comments:

Pops said...

Snail Wyoming! That is the most funny thing I have heard in a long time. Scout is so into things and has the energy of four kids. Does she think of Wyoming as far away or a desert place or what? Very good Scout...keep up the interest in things.

Emily said...

She thinks of Wyoming as being the mountains we can see from our house. That is snail Wyoming simply because that is where the cousin snails now live.

Haley said...

Haha! That was a fun little story. Scout is just so funny, Snail Wyoming! She is so smart. That is a LOT of snails, no wonder you were annoyed with them!

Haley said...

Oh and your Scout tracker today made me smile!

Sue said...

This is such a cute story! I love how she yelled out your door "Hi Amy snail!". That is the best. Cousin snails, what a little cutie. I wish Aunt Sue could drop off all the snails I have in my garden to snail Wyoming! My garden is 20' x 40' and full of snails! I just throw them away in the garbage, and I bet I've thrown away at least 100 of them so far. I go out every evening and throw away snails.

By the way, if anyone who reads this has a good idea on how to get rid of snails I'd like to hear it. I can't use poison. I have a dog and 3 neighborhood cats that hang out in my yard. So if anyone knows of some non-toxic way to deal with snails, I'd like to hear about it.

Emily said...

Have you tried the beer trick sue? Snails are very attracted to beer, so you bury sour cream and yogurt containers in the ground so their lip is just under the dirt and they make little swimming pools in the ground and fill them with beer. overnight they are attracted to the beer and fall in and drown. In the morning you can just pluck their drowned bodies out and toss them. Also, I've heard of a sand stuff that is made of some sort of sea shell I think, and you create a border with it either around the parimeter of your garden, or around certain plants. They crawl across it and it cuts their tummies up and they loose water and die of dehydration. Both ways are totally non toxic to kids and animals. What you are doing is good too, just plucking them up when you see them does a great job controlling the population.

Amy said...

She is too funny. I told Emily that I was honored to be named one of Scouts snails even though I hate them so bad. That's a great story.

Neaners said...

This is the cutest story. What a sweet and imaginative little girl you have. I hate snails too. I try not to smash them but don't feel too bad if I do. I used to pour salt on them when I was little and watch them bubble. So gross. Grandpa didn't like them either. He always bought snail bait for our lawn. I have so many good memories of him outside and enjoying his porch chaise lounge. The cousin Amy snail was the best!

Haley said...

That is so sad! Cut their tummies up???? Sad.

Sue said...

I think I'll just pluck them every day and throw them away. I don't want to cut up their tummies, even though they are snails, that just doesn't seem right.

Camel and the guy? hahahahahahaha!

Pops said...

A 12 gauge with No. 8 shot works.

Pops said...

Hi Sue, this is mom! In response to your request for snail killing tactics: Our friends Dave and Sherry Morrill had a son named Tony. One day he filled a paper cup with snails and pee peed in the cup. Killed all the snails! You might want to try it!!

Sue said...

hahahahhaha! mom that is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!

Emily said...

Ew ew ew!!!

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