I Don't Like Spiders and Snakes

Am I the only girl out there that doesn't mind creepy crawlies? I was talking to my friend, Sandi, over at Cheaper Than Therapy about a frog her hubby and urchins brought home (watch for her future post). As she described the long, gooey arm of the frog, she was mortified that it would make good on it's escape attempt. I, on the other hand, thought it sounded awesome - no one brings me frogs.

Hope has a zoology assignment to take five invertebrates to class at HSU. She was more than a bit squeamish so I offered to track them down. I was in the garden on Saturday and uncovered a little salamander that I was hoping would be where I left it but no such luck. A curious neighbor caught us crawling around in the dark Sunday night, her holding the flashlight while I overturned rocks throughout my herb garden. I ... oh, I mean WE managed to find a worm, a snail, a slug, a sow bug and a little black beetle. No potato bugs. No salamanders. Dang! Hope had to provide their scientific ID and pray they made it to HSU alive - she had the opportunity for two points per critter but would lose one each if they were dead. We tucked them into a plastic tub with grass and dirt, poked holes in the lid and left them on the porch for the night. Naturally, morning inspection found a dead worm and a missing beetle (I think) so, after a scurried morning search they were replaced. She carried them to school in her trunk, nervous they would somehow escape....and the teacher wasn't in the office. So, home came the container, the worm was returned to the garden. The others found a new (if brief) home in the chicken pen.

Tonight, we try again. Hopefully it won't be so cold and our treasures will survive the wait. Hopefully, too, the professor will be there to count her critters.

The photo? That was Hope at Brownie camp - Davis Creek Park between Carson City and Reno. We overturned rocks to find toads and I actually got her to hold one. First and last time, I suspect.