Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Leave my worms alone!


We've been getting some heavy-drizzly type rain for the last few days and it's been wonderful!

The problem is, the moisture is finally soaking down to my poor thirsty worms that have been living about 113 feet underground, trying their best to avoid being dried and fried by the heat we had been having. ( Oh my...I just love saying "had" It's such a nice word. The heat we HAD!!)

So, when I woke up this morning, I went on a "worm rescue".
You know...I don't think I'll ever fully understand why worms come *UP* to get out of the water, when all they have to do is go back down, because it's dry as a bone just a few inches down, so there has to be a happy medium there somewhere, right?

WHY do they commit hari kari by crawling onto the cement where you would think they would know they were going to get shrivelled up into chow mien noodles? Am I right ...or what?

I mean, I know they're just worms and have itsy bitsy little wormy brains, but you would think that they would do a little evolving or learning somewhere along the line, wouldn't you??
Sometime in the last million or so years, you would have thought that the light-bulb would have gone off for at least one of them, don't you think?

Anyway... when I find the little wrigglers crawling piteously across the cement, on a one-way trip to fried noodle time, I pick 'em up and put them back in the garden. Where they can do whatever it is that worms do and enrich my soil or whatever. I feel so virtuous afterwards. Like I've contributed something during my lifetime, you know? It does my heart good.
So what happens after I put those worms back in their rightful place? Back with their little wormy families?
The bloody starlings discover a veritable "worm smorgasbord" in the grass, dirt or whatever I've put the worms... and they eat like there's no tomorrow...that's what happens.
They put it out on the birdie grapevine and before you know it, I have dozens and dozens and dozens of starlings all making happy starling noises as they do the spaghetti slurping thing.

Those skinny little starling's eat ...and eat... and eat... Until they're looking like bloated pheasants or Thanksgiving turkeys in the making, or something.

I chase the birds off time and time again, yet they keep coming back by the hundreds and feasting on their little birdy version of spaghetti noodles.

But you know what? A bird will NOT look at a worm crawling across the cement. They will not eat a worm that is attempting "suicide by shriveling". They just won't.

But if I pick that worm up and try and save his life, suddenly it's "noodle buffet" time for our feathered friends.
I have never seen any other birds - other than the starlings - seriously eating worms.
Oh, the magpies eat them, but I have never seen a Magpie party-time going on on my lawn... ermmm, dirt.
And what used to happen before the starlings were introduced into this country? They were "introduced" into Melbourne in 1857 and then into other ares of Australia... But in 1895, the import of starlings were banned. Because they ruin everything.
So my question is ..."Who or what, ate the earthworms before 1857?"
Was the country a giant earthworm farm? Or rather, a giant farm with heaps of earthworms? Is that why the worms in certain parts of Victoria are so huge - which puts new meaning to the "giant earthworm farm" concept?
Did they evolve into snake-sized worms, just to outsmart the bloody starlings??
Probably not, but still... it's interesting as all get out.
If you like worms, that is.
I think I need a holiday.
Or a life.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Loved this post! I would do the same thing. In fact, one of my friends calls me "Snow", short for Snow White, because I'm always saving a frog, or a bird, or nursing a bunny back to health, or whatever else I find that needs to be saved.

Yet, I have to feed the bearded dragons crickets and worms. I must re-think my values!

You are so lucky to live among so much cool wildlife.

Very funny stuff!
L

Bren Haas said...

Adorable posting dear Garden Friend. I really enjoy your blog and want to thank you for sharing your love of life with us.
From my very cold Garden in Ohio - ((HUGS))

Becky said...

Funny thing those worms! When we have a real downpour which is everyday in the summer, I do the same thing. There is some very rich soil on the side of my house and that is where I put them. I don't think the birds look there. I can't stand to see anything suffering. I bury possums, picked up dead cats off the road, found a dead pot belly pig and buried him, he was so tiny.

Robynn's Ravings said...

Well aren't YOU prolific today! Two posts and somehow I missed the first!

I just love worms in a I-hate-worms-kinda-way. I like to see them in my garden and, as long as I have gloves on, I'm good. But the slime if you're bare-handed. Well, I'll get over it because they do such a good job and all. I miss my chickens when I dig in the dirt. I used to throw all my cut worm grubs to them.

Glad you have found a use for your life - worm saver! Oh and wonderful caretaker and friend extraordinaire!

redpoppy007@aol.com said...

Thanks for the smile..never thought about it that way before..lol~

Bz said...

Holy Cow! ..that thing was huge! (something that guy in the "business" video would probably like to hear (sorry)... ANYway, that's something to put on the fishing line- geeeees. And, oh, you waxing philosophic about worms just cracked me up... you sound like me. I've been told I over-think stuff....like those boys in the movie "Stand by Me" when they were contemplating such important stuff as who would win in a fight between Mighty Mouse and Superman.
Too funny- thanks for the smile!

Irene said...

Hi Katie
Sorry I forgot to ask my colonial history professor that important question do you want me to send him an email and ask?
But isn't the rain lovely.

pam said...

I thought I was the only one who did this. When I put them back in the yard, I usually cover them with a leaf to shade them until they can burrow underground again.

The W.O.W. factor! said...

Well, thank you for the lesson on worm-life.
I won't try to save their lives from now on when they are on my sidewalk. I have so many starlings, magpies, robins, wrens you name it...guess those little wriggly things need a sanctuary don't they.
(When I do put them in my compost pile, I do give them half a chance by "burying" them deep, guess the rest is up to them)


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