Posts tagged ‘Worms’
Update on those other pets
Ever since Jack came to our house, our worms have been feeling left out and neglected. Jack has been getting the glory, the fame, and the blog posts. Meanwhile, the worms get the scraps. It makes them feel like second-class citizens. Like dirt. Lower than dirt. Like… well, you know.
So the o(m) reporting staff caught up with Worm Woman yesterday for an update on those cute and cuddly little critters…
o(m): So I hear that the worms are doing well. What’s been happening?
WW: I just finished sorting them. This time there were lots of cocoons, but not so many tiny babies. There was some anaerobic activity going on in there, and I think it was too wet. So I drilled a hole in the bottom for a drain and didn’t make the bedding so moist.
o(m): Did you get out any dirt?
WW: I took out everything except the worms and whatever was clinging to the cocoons. I put it in the garden.
o(m): And the worms got some treats then?
WW: They got a fresh cantaloupe rind, their favorite.
o(m): Ah – scraps. (muttered to self)
WW: What?
o(m): Never mind. So how much soil did you get out? A gallon?
WW: It was more like 2 or 3 gallons, and it had undigested parts like newspaper bits, peach pits and potato peelings in it.
o(m): Thanks for the update, Worm Woman!
The latest on the worms
We’ve heard some rumors about big stuff going on in worm land, so our intrepid reporter caught up with Worm Woman…
ordinary (mostly): So – you’ve recently returned from a summer vacation. How did the worms fare in your absence?
Worm Woman: I gave them a big pile of food and they did their wormy thing. I’m not sure they realized we were gone.
o (m): And what’s the latest on the worms now?
WW: The worms have been sorted. Last Saturday I sifted by hand through six quarts of rich, black compost* to pull out as many worms as I could. They got returned to the bin along with a couple handfuls of worm babies and eggs, fresh bedding, half a watermelon rind and some banana peels. While I was sorting compost, the banana peels were very popular (populated). I think I missed a bunch of worms, though, because there don’t seem to be very many when I check now.
o (m): But I’ve heard you say that they sound healthy. What, exactly, do you mean by “sound healthy”?
WW: They sound like a wet sponge when it soaks up water.
o (m): Ah. I see.
WW: Or like Rice Krispies right before they are all wet.
o (m): That’s nice. And what did you do with your compost?
WW: I spread my compost around the base of my tomato plants.
o (m): Yummy! Now supposedly your mother is also getting into the worming business. What can you tell us about that?
WW: All I know is that she was putting together her fancy-schmancy composter when I last talked to her.
o (m): “Fancy-schmancy”?
WW: Yes.
o (m): And where does she keep this fancy composter? Does the neighborhood association have anything to say on this matter?
WW: I don’t think the neighborhood association cares as long as it is inside.
o (m): Will you be providing any worms?
WW: I’ll give her a handful the next time I see her.
o (m): Thank you, Worm Woman, for your time.
WW: You’re welcome. Care for a tomato?
o (m): No, thanks.
* Editor’s note: “Rich, black compost” is a euphemism, if you know what I mean. Try not to think too much about “rich, black compost” and “by hand” together in the same sentence.
Let me tell you ’bout the birds and the bees…
Hey, worm lovers! Guess what!
Worm update
In an effort to maintain the prominence of the “worm” tag on my blog, I offer this story from this morning at our house…
Middle daughter has been away with the grandparents for the last week. And this morning, she had a moment of rediscovery:
MD: It has been a long time since I got the worms. I CLEARLY forgot that I even HAD the worms!
Something, we’d all like to forget, I think.
(Note: if you’re catching up on the worm story, try browsing these search results.)
Interview with Worm Woman
We here in the news department at ordinary (mostly) realized that it’s been two weeks since the worms arrived. So we decided to send our intrepid reporter into the field (well, really into the kitchen and the laundry room) to talk to the Worm Woman and get the latest scoop on the worms. Here’s what she had to say…
Update: The worms are in!
I was sure that you, my faithful readers, would want to know that our pet worms have arrived.
Oh, wait. I don’t have any faithful readers yet. Well, that won’t stop me.
You’ll recall that my wife and one of my daughters were making plans for pet worms in our house. Well, happy day! The worms came by UPS today. They’re all settled into their new home replete with old lettuce, banana peel, cantaloupe rind, and wet newspaper. So when I got home this evening, I peered in and didn’t see anything. “That’s because they don’t like the light,” my wife told me. “You leave the lid open for a few days until they’re used to their container. After that, they won’t wander. Earlier today, there was one crawling across the floor, but now they’ve all tunneled down in.”
Ah. I see. So in essence, we’ll have potty trained worms.
Worms
You’re kidding, right? Worms?
Nope. For my first ever foray into blogging, I’ve chosen worms. Not who I am. Not why I’ve called this blog ‘ordinary (mostly)’. Nothing acceptable like that.
Worms.
Oh… and composting.
My wife went to some Earth Day event, and when she came home she wanted to get some worms.
So that we could compost.
In our basement.
She assured me that it wouldn’t smell, that they’d eat lots of food scraps (diet of worms), and that I wouldn’t have to take care of it.
And in ninety days, they’ll be reproducing!
So now she’s ordered a thousand worms (that’s about one pound, for those of you who are keeping track at home). They should be arriving soon, but in the meantime, my middle daughter (the five year old) decided she couldn’t wait. She’s collected her own worms from our garden (did I mention that we already have a compost bin outside?!), and she has given them names. Of our neighbors. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not. Ask nicely, and I’m sure we can name a worm after you, too.
