Snails

Growing up in Syracuse, NY we didn't have any land snails. My mother lamented this lack - apparently in the swamps of Michigan where she used to tramp about there were snails aplenty.

Upon moving to Irvine about a year ago, I went through a phase of complete obsession with the snails here. Job-less and directionless, I wandered the empty lots (overgrown with sagebrush and grasses) and stalked through Irvine's many green (brown) spaces looking at the big snails and skittery little lizards.

It's funny how I never notice these phases ending. As a child they were much more compelling - there was a year when I was completely riveted by belly buttons. It ended in a similarly subtle way. I remember thinking, at 8 or so, why don't I ever think about belly buttons anymore?

Anyway, here is a picture of one of these fellows. Sig tells me they're edible. We were planning on catching a bunch and letting them detox on organic lettuce before eating them, but the plan never really went through. (Personally, I think escargot tastes of dirt, though Sig tells me I'm nuts.)

This entry is a bit wandering, no?