This morning I slept in. But once I woke up, I had to patrol for gastropods.
Category Archives: Personal
Death is not an option (the return from sabbatical edition).
You’re coming to the close of your sabbatical year. Probably you didn’t make quite as much progress on your research or writing project as you had hoped to, but you have enjoyed a much-needed break from the demands of teaching (and especially grading) and committee work. Whenever they see you, your colleagues comment on how well-rested you look.
And now, it’s time to reestablish contact with reality.
You’re on the phone with your department chair about your duties for the fall semester. Do you choose:
Snail eradication (day 14).
This morning was relatively warm and fairly dry.
If you’ve been following the details of my campaign to control the back yard gastropod population, you know what that means:
Snail eradication (day 13).
Another cool, dewy morning today as I went out to pick gastropods. The wet grass brushing against my bare legs got at least some of that moisture from the slugs stretched along the blades.
Tomorrow morning I’m going to remember to put on jeans before I go out snailing.
Snail eradication (day 12).
It didn’t end up raining yesterday (so I didn’t get a chance to test my dedication to snailing by snailing in the rain). Today dawned cold and dewy.
Which meant I knew I was going to get some gastropod action.
Snail eradication (day 11).
This morning was cool, overcast, and very dry. There was no discernible dew on the grass.
In other words, not conditions in which the gastropods come out to play.
Snail eradication (day 10).
This was another cool, dewy morning following on the heels of a blazing hot day.
In other words, good snailing weather.
Snail eradication (day 9).
Yesterday was a super-hot day, and this morning was cool and dewy. Later, though, we’re expecting temperatures higher than yesterday’s.
So the gastropods were out enjoying the break in the heat while it lasted.
An open letter.
Dear Natural Selection,
Can we have a chat about weeds?