Verms

Today, ladies and gentlemen, I got worms! Red worms to be exact. You know, the long slimy, wiggly kind that you find in your garden? Yes, that kind! My dear friend the mailman followed through for us yet again. I wonder if he suspects anything, because last week he delivered two packages. One was a box of mealy worms and the other, a box containing cocooned mason bees.

Lest you think I'm super weird for purchasing such creatures, let me reassure...it was all Andrew's idea. Okay, okay, so I think he's a genius and totally agreed with his shenanigan idea, but he's really the master mind behind it all. I just get to blog about it.

Since we have such great aspirations for a garden this spring, Andrew thought it would be a great idea for us to do composting the right way (last year's efforts went ka-put) by doing a little worm farming. We would use our normal composting food scraps to feed the worms (or "verms" if you want to sound German), which would in turn eat the scraps, make lots of beautiful composty-worm-poop, which would then be used to nourish our garden's soil. Worms also reproduce quickly and can double their population every three months. Yes. I knew you wanted to know that. So, where was I? Oh yes...

This great idea was followed up with a discussion about bees. We agreed that considering our present circumstances, we will save keeping honey bees for a little farther down the road. Like when we buy 1,000 acres in Montana and do the whole sustainable farming thing!!! **cough** But I digress.

Despite the no honey-bee decision, my hubby informed me that we could still indeed be bee keepers and raise mason bees. I'm told they won't sting, look like bumble bees, will do a beautiful job at pollinating our garden, and should return to the origin of their birth to drop off their lineage to hatch out and carry on doing all things-beeish. Andrew is almost done with a beautiful mason bee house, so I have no doubt they will be very happy bees, who will happily buzz about our garden. And okay, you got me. I may have dreamt similarly to the scene in Sleeping Beauty where Aurora communes with the wildlife as she walks around the woods singing. Yep, that'll be me n' the bees. Olivia and I will have picnics outside during the summer and anytime I lift an open hand to the sky, a little bee will nestle in my palm and humm a happy tune.

Okay. So back to reality. And to those worms I was telling you about!

This afternoon, nice Mr. Mailman dropped off our packages. I heard **ka-thump, ka-thump!** followed a most hasty *ding-dong* from our door bell. I can only assume he didn't want to stick around what I'd done with my hair today. Smart man. I retrieved the packages and texted my man to alert him of the arrival of our little garden buddies.

Here's a peek into the bag they arrived in:


Upon opening the boxes, I found some very thirsty worms. Worms packed in peat moss are very thirsty after long journey, don'tcha know. After dispensing drinks to the lot of them, I found a safe place to grab the bag without creating any fatalities and dumped them into the compost bin. They should be happy because their new home came fully equipped with a freshly carpeted layer of leaves; compliments from last night's brussel sprout side dish.

Here they are checking out their new place. They look like they're adjusting well, don't you think?

Surprised at not seeing as many worms as I'd expected, I ran my finger through the big pile to dirt...

I'd say we got our money's worth. Now to think of names for everyone...