Nicole Tasker Woods

The rain started to fall and I could hear it pit-patter on my doorstep around 9:00pm last night. I sat cuddled up with Cali’s head in my lap and Grammy’s afghan wrapped around us on the couch while we watched TV. The thought of going outside was chilling. An hour later, Cali got up from my lap and sat down underneath her leash & collar that hang on one of the dining room chairs by the door. That was the signal. I put on shoes, a sweatshirt with the hood tied tight and opened an umbrella over my head. The first step out the door was wet and I quickly discovered that every inch of the ground was going to be covered in snails. When the rain falls at night and moisture fills the air, out come the snails. It was like a mine field. Cali was less cautious, but I could not help but guide her between all the shiny shells to keep her paws from crushing them. We spent about 20 minutes outside, in the misty air, weaving around snails dotted on the cement walkways, asphalt driveways, ivy-covered corners and even the wood-chipped rose garden. I hate creepy-crawlies, like lizards and snakes…tack snails on that list too.