Saturday, August 22, 2009

On My Knees for Gardening Gone Wild!

David Perry, the judge for the August photo contest at Gardening Gone Wild asked us to get down on our knees and show them something they haven’t seen in quite the same way before.

I was encouraged to submit a cool hummingbird shot (thanks, Maureen!) but two things were wrong; first, it was taken a couple of weeks ago, (not with this assignment in mind) and second it was kind of a panic shot taken from above, not a thoughtful shot taken from knee level or lower. For my first GGW entry, I want to follow the rules!

As I sat under the Red Umbrella pondering, I saw this fellow making his way across the garden, and knew that he would be my subject. A common brown snail, not very sexy, or is he? Well, I groveled before him, so I bet he's feeling pretty special (from his, um, new home in the neighbor's ivy!)

15 comments:

  1. Plantanista (Maureen D)August 22, 2009 at 3:02 PM

    Well, I never thought I'd see that day that a snail looked beautiful. But here you've gone and done it!

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  2. Haha, I hope your neighbor doesn't mind the newest resident! Great photograph. They look so innocent, don't they?

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  3. This is a great photo - you obviously have patience! I can't look at them without wanting to squish them though, sorry.

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  4. Haha, thanks for the nice comments! While I have been responsible for the demise of many an unfortunate garden pest in the past, for the last few years I've had a 'no-kill' policy, and either let critters be or relocate them. We've achieved a peaceful truce! (And if I accidentally step on one? I apologize!)

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  5. Very cool shot. I don't have any snails with shells, just the soft bodied kind.

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  6. Oh, and the snail in the ivy is nothing compared to the continual invasion of ivy with which I must contend!

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  7. The spiral is my favorite shape - it is so eloquent, so even though snails are ... well, evil - I still love them! Beautiful picture, a perfectly captured little soul (no matter how voracious and cruel to my lettuces) ... I hope you win!
    XO!

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  8. Very cool photo. Different from the rest. Good Luck!

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  9. Great photo! Never thought I would find a picture of a snail so captivating (although as a shade gardener, I am slightly repulsed by such an up close look at the Enemy)

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  10. I love the snail photo. I gave up on this contest. Some things were not meant to be.

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  11. Oh, what a great photo! She looks like a movie start trying to escape the paparazzi. But you were faster!

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  12. Haha Mouse! If anyone had pointed out that her glossy bits are a little out of focus, I was going to say she was just moving too fast!!

    Glad to give everyone a fresh perspective on our little mollusk, um, friends!

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  13. He's a real cutie. Crawling on the ground has benefits.

    I like snails, especially like their antennae. Love touching them to make them retract, but they probably don't like it. Well, I don't like the way they eat my hostas. Like you Laura, I try to have a no-kill policy, I do the relocation by flinging, (which they're probably not too keen on either.

    On a side note, Toronto Gardens blog was dubbed in a MeMe award, and we would like to pass the honour on to you. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to visit our blog to retrieve it.

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  14. Ooh, an honour! Thanks Sarah, I'll check it out!

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