Camera Critters~ A Visit With An Earth Worm

As a young girl, I was very fond of earth worms. I'm unsure when, why, or how this little affection began, but by the time I was seven years of age, I had my own small homemade worm farm. As I recall it, I had taken my large dump truck and filled it with dirt. I then proceeded to dig up as many worms as I could find. The many years between then and now has faded the exact memory of just how many I had, and how long I had them, but I still recall spending hours visiting with my little worm friends.



At one point I recall trying to distinguish each one from another so that I could successfully name them. Unbelievably, I attempted marking them with different colored nail polishes. The crazy part of my memory tells me it worked, but the realistic part of me now wonders how???????? Regardless of the truth, I think it speaks volumes of my affection for these little creatures.



No matter the number of years that have crept between seven year old Corey and Mama Corey, nothing can force me to forget how it all ended, and how devastated I was. One summer day, I headed out around the side of the garage to visit my little worm friends, only to find my dump truck over turned, and all the worms gone. Desperately, I looked around for them, but they were simply gone. Living in the country, you might assume that I would have suspected an animal to be the culprit, but this wise young lady had a more sinister inkling of who was to blame.



With tear stained cheeks I ran to the house, and asked of my mother, "Where is Casey? (my older brother)" and much to my dismay her reply still rings in my ears, "Oh, He and Mike went FISHING."



I am unsure if my brother ever got in trouble for what he had done, or not? I do know I never set up a worm farm again, as I was not going to make it easy for my brother to kill them. If he wanted worms for his fishing, he'd have to dig them himself.



As an adult, I don't often think of worms, and interestingly enough I rarely recall seeing them around my current house. It wasn't until last month Sugar Bear had ever seen a worm. I was grateful that I had my camera by my side when the cousins discovered a worm in Grandma's yard. It was a joy to see Sugar Bears delight in meeting her first worm. We just may have to make a worm farm. I know she'd love it.