Worms, Rain and An Old Cat
Sometimes I wonder if I should just "take a moment" and not post something on this 'page' versus losing whatever credibility I might have ....
And then ... one decides ... who the heck cares? And if they do... are they really that important?
Well, it really must be ... an evening in the office on a Thursday evening in July, eh?
So ... we have been having a lot of rain in Toronto. And lately it has been taking extra time to walk to work 'cause of the rain.
Not 'cause the rain is a problem. Far from it. Rather, 'cause our little mascots (a.k.a. worms) are avoiding getting drowned out in the underground by surfacing and journeying out into the great beyond.
And for anyone who has witnessed the reality of sun post a rain, it is indeed a sad thing to see a dried up worm on the sidewalk. OK ... I have at least 10 faces of members of our Council flash in my mind right now (thank goodness they are not members of our Board of Directors... =) ...)......perhaps I should call it an evening.
No! The truth must be told.
I pick up worms post a rainfall.
They and compost are partners ... and while there are tons of things sadder in life, it is at least one thing that I can do something about.
A slithery little worm wriggling its way to nowhere on a sidewalk in Toronto post a rainstorm ...versus doing something good in a garden somewhere.
I pick them up and deposit them back into a nearby garden. In so doing, it takes me twice as long to get to work (or home) post a rainshower than not.
Both Christie & Bart know better than to get cranky about having to wait as I stoop and scoop.
Once .... perhaps a sacrilege, but as it was the only thing that I had ... I used the biz card that Dr. Harry Hoitink had given to me of his coordinates.
Harry (what an honour to be able to refer to him on a "first" name basis --- perhaps he will rescind this "honour" if he ever reads this) ... will be recognized as one of the "Fathers" of Compost as the decades/years progress. He has spearheaded the disease suppression research which gives compost the extra boost of credibility in value ... I have met many of his followers who speak his name with reverence..... they would probably "flip" if they ever heard that ...
.... I used his biz card to pick up the worms that were on the sidewalk between my walk and my office.
=) I really don't think that he would mind. In fact, I believe that he would be totally in accord.
But the reality is that a business card does not do as good a job as using a door key (or car key or whatever) in getting underneath the little critter and being able to pop it in your hand.
A key is very, very great.
Rather than depositing them in gardens along the way to our office, I sometimes "save" them in my hand and bring them all to the backyard of our office. Somehow I like to think that the ultimate worm destiny should be in the backyard of the offices of The Composting Council of Canada.
But perhaps not.
Oh my goodness, I brought a whole bunch of them into the office one day and headed to the backyard ...but I must have stopped in our "boardroom" along the way.
Anyways, I was back from the garden and heard Tyrone matter-of-factly shout: "there's a worm in the boardroom".... I guess that I must have dropped one along the way ... =)
Anyways ... many errant wrigglers have found their new home in our backyard ... thanks to a rainshower, a pavement and our walk to our office in the morning.
And as long as I am on "this path", I have to say that I miss Mary Appelhof.
I will never be able to say that I knew her well ... but her & my paths did cross ... and late into the evening, I would always know that there was a good chance that if I called her in her office, she also would be working late.
One time that I called ... I asked ---- "Mary .. if a bunch of whales is a "pod" and a bunch of lions is a "pride" .... what do you call a bunch of worms?
She didn't know right away but many, many months later, I got a return late night call from her with the answer: "Susan, we've decided. It's a squirm of worms."
And you know, if it was ok with her, it was definitely ok with us.
And so we issued the press release and there you go.
And so for Mary, for Harry ... and for all those little wrigglers on the concrete ... we stoop and scoop with pride and love.... and thank goodness (and hopefully post any of our members reading this little entry) for our members who tolerate us ... we are usually a little later in getting to the office on "rain days" 'cause of the "task in hand".
And that's ok. One of the "perks" for working for a national non-profit, eh?
That plus the fact that we have a wonderfully sweet and senior cat living in our bathroom on the first floor of our office, right now. She is beyond lovely. And Bart, Christie & Bella are being so good about "allowing" her in their space.
Anyone interested in a new best friend?
If not ... No problem .... drown your guilt by considering instead attending our 18th National COMPOST Conference, to be held in Quebec City on September 17th - 19th ... you can celebrate both our "18th" as well as the "400th" anniversary of the Ville de Quebec .... either or both.... how much better could it be? =)