Menagerie

Our Menagerie keeps growing and shrinking as the animals and insects come and go.  Lately though it’s all about molluscs.  With spring showers come snails, and they are everywhere.  The really cute ones that look like Turbo.  The kids easily found over 30 of them the other morning crawling around in the grass.

Back when Bob and Helene were still here, the kids found 3 gorgeous snails.  You can see one in my spaghetti strainer (yumm) and the other trying to escape from his jar.  They were upgraded to a better home (no where near our other pet the scorpion for those who might be worried about that).

Etienne named his new pet Morris, Evi named hers Slow Motion, and Nico named his Malcolm.  They were on a lettuce and flour diet with lots of water. Add wine to that and it sounds a lot like my diet these days.  You wouldn’t believe how much lettuce they go through!  Or how quickly lettuce goes through them.  Speed wise they are actually faster than you think.  Etienne remarked that these were the fastest snails he had ever seen.  Of course they’re the only snails he’s ever seen so he’s technically correct.  We decided to set up a snail race to see who really was the fastest.  Evi strategically changed her snail’s name to Turbo right before the race.

You know you’re no longer in the rat race when you literally have enough time to host a snail race from start to finish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ever heard of a snail whisperer?

The winner would be the first to cross a complete tile.  Evi’s strategy worked and Turbo (formerly known as Slow Motion) took the title for the First Annual South of France Invitational Snail Race.  Afterwards they were set free.  The kids loved their pets and were sad to let them go.  Bob, however, did not get attached or sentimental at all.