Sunday, May 16, 2010

Welcome To Mr. Snail

Please welcome the newest addition to my tree house -- Mr. Snail. Isn't he a hoot? He's very curious and likes to check everything out. I think he's watching an ant inching its way across the deck. I share my tree house with raccoons, skunks, coyotes, crows, seagulls, Steller's jays, and all sorts of various birds and bees.

At least twice a day -- usually at 9:00 at night and 5:00 in the morning -- (*y-a-w-n*) -- the raccoons raid the crows' nests in the trees, setting up a cacophony of swearing and cursing from the crows. It usually lasts for about an hour or so, and last night I took a little video to share with you.



And now I had better get back outdoors and landscape my terrace before the broom takes root and starts to grow into a tree.

28 comments:

DJan said...

We have had the occasional "murder" of crows in the tree outside my bedroom window. I love your Mr. Snail, Jo! Have a wonderful Sunday.

jackc50 said...

it sounds like you have a beautiful spot out there to enjoy nature. i find myself watching all creatures, great and small, as they make their way through this world. have a lovely sunday and take good care, jack c

Sam Liu said...

Wow, it looks like you live in the most wonderful and scenic of locations. It must be brilliant to surrounded by so much vibrant wildlife, great video, that noise must be rather annoying at 5am :)

Rosaria Williams said...

Ah ah! Your daily entertainment in those high trees. It looks to me that you are surrounded by wildlife.

Whitney Lee said...

I'm not sure that I would handle the noise very well...I'm a very light sleeper these days! Even with ear plugs I can hear my baby start to cry in the next room-through the shut door!

I love Mr. Snail; he's quite colorful!

Cedar said...

I could take about 9 seconds of that and I would be yelling SHUT UP. I love nature...no I really do... when it is using its inside voice.

KrippledWarrior said...

have you given names to the crows?

PinkPanthress said...

Is that a real snail? He looks so unreal! :)

And the video was lovely, I love the sound of nature.

Susie Hemingway said...

Mr Snail looks quite perfect, what a lovely one he is and what a wonderful place to watch nature in all it's glory. I encourage the birds to our gardens here in the East Midlands of the UK. We have many robins and little blue tits all enjoying the fat-balls I hang for them. A real dawn chorus for us too.
Keep well and happy.

PhilipH said...

A snail? Or is it a green slug?

Not edible, presumably... well, not by hoomans .;-)

SparkleFarkel said...

Hello to your new bud! Does Mr. Snail have a first name? Perhaps Molasses? January? How 'bout Sluggo? I think he's simply adorable!

kenju said...

What a ruckus!! I would not enjoy that early in the morning.

Canarybird said...

I love the tree view Jo but I think I'd also be a little annoyed at the noise of the crows. I'm often woken up by the sound of parrots in the high trees outside our bedroom window but they sound more like a group of puppies yapping and they do it at a more respectable hour of around 8 am when I usually get up anyway.

What an unusual colour for a slug, as I guess that's what he is, as I don't see a snail shell on his back. I hope he isn't eating your flowers!
Have a good week.

Owen said...

That crow sounds Pissed Off !

Hope you had a good day anyway...

roxanne s. sukhan said...

Isn't it amazing that we get coyotes coming around? I occaisionally see one trotting down my street late at night. And I think there's a skunk living deep inside the blackberry brambles in our back yard. Mr. Snail does look unreal, doesn't he?

Carol E. said...

I just went back a few posts to catch up. I am completely appalled by that 7-year-old "dance." Yuck!! I totally agree that is was 100% inappropriate. Your pope story gave me chills. That is one amazing story. As for today's, I am one of those strange people who sort of likes the sound of crows. They remind me of camping in the woods and being close to nature. But loud crows at 3 in the morning is a bit different, I would imagine.

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Hello, Jo!! Such a fun post! Loved it! And I love your "tree house!" What a beautiful spot you have...and what a drama outside ...your video was terrific! Hope your landscaping went well! Love, Janine XO

Nancy said...

What a naughty raccoon! I don't blame the crow for being incensed, but I feel for you having to listen to that battle. What a pretty view you have from your deck. I just love it.

Nancy said...

And that snail is fantastic!!

Vanessa said...

Wow...quite the jungle you live in, Jo! In a way I'm jealous because of all the wildlife and the closeness you have with nature. Yet at the same time I cannot help laughing! 5 am! Wow! I'm sorry for laughing. :) But its quite the adventure isn't it? I'm jealous again.

Katy said...

When I saw your Mr. Snail picutre all I could think was, "Holy heck! What is that?" So I'm glad you explained.

Now then, I love your racoon video. I will have to show it to Alex tonight. She has become obbessed with all things animal and living outside... we have lots of cats around our place and a creek right behind us full of turtles... great fun.

Land of shimp said...

Oh Jo, forgive me for being crass, but I laughed like a fool just seeing the picture of the fluorescent visitor! That is the most phallic of slugs!

I really thought, "Good gravy, Jo's on something of a tear this Monday morning. Good for her!"

I thought we were about to get a post on art symbolism. Perhaps I need more coffee to either clear, or cloud my mind.

I do love your little videos from your home. I love that you live, cheek-by-jowl with what appears to be wilderness. That to commune with the woods, you need only take a step or two.

Thank you for sharing them :-)

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Um, you have it backwards. Isn't the broom an ex-tree?

Wonderful video! I just love it! Thank you for sharing such delightful cacophony with us! It's like being there in the trees with you and the raiding raccoons and cussing crows.

Paul C said...

Yes, birds can get pretty excited when their nests are threatened. I read that a cat can kill many songbirds over a year. We have several cats and one thing that concerns me is what they're up to in the middle of the night.

the walking man said...

The fighting between the wildlife in my fortress is nothing like yours.

Kimberly said...

We don't have snails that fancy here in the south...

Paula Slade said...

That's a big beautiful snail! Is he feasting on your potted plants? The crows sounded like they were scolding everyone.

Jackie said...

I love your garden...and your accent!
Smiles,
Jackie