Worms!!!

Grandpop is an avid outdoors men. Hunting, fishing, and gathering throughout the years for as long as I can remember. He is also is a bull-shitter story teller. So when he told me we were going to hunt for night-crawlers last night so we would have bait for fishing, I though he was pulling my leg. Conjuring up an outdoor adventure for our Brown Eyed Girl's entertainment. Tall tales.

Like most city folk, I buy my buy my bait from the store. Even though I can't think of a single time that I personally have ever bought bait, minnows, or worms. I can confidently say that it never occurred to me to catch them, with my bare hands. Dig them up, maybe. But catch them, no way.

When the sun had set, Grandpop reminded us that we needed to hunt for worms. I laughed. Crazy old Grandpop.

My Brown Eyed Girl followed Grandpop outside and before I knew it they were creeping around the yard holding flashlights and grabbing at the dirt. Giggles and screeches galore.

Sure enough my Brown Eyed Girl came inside holding a fat little night-crawler.

It wasn't a fable.

He wasn't pulling our legs.

You actually CAN catch night-crawlers.

It's a skill.

Only the masterful hunters prevail.

I had to try it!

Before I knew it, I was fitted with my very own flashlight and I was watching the master hunter at work. I could not believe my eyes. They were everywhere! I would pan my light over the grass and it would come alive as slithery little worms slipped back down their holes. It was amazing!

Worms are very fast - freaky fast. I have never seen worm eyes, but they have to have them because as soon as you shine your light on them they are gone in a flash down their holes. They are quick, slippery and strong. After about ten minutes, I realized this was truly hunting. It was hard. I was getting out smarted by worms.

I had to ask the master for his secret.

How to catch a worm:

Very slowly, squat over a patch of grass. Make as little movement as possible. Pan your light slowly over the grass and look for worms. Once you spot a worm, quickly grab the end of the worm with your free hand. If you are quick enough to catch one, you have to get a firm grip and wait for the little bugger to relax a little as you carefully pull him out of his hole. If you pull while he is struggling... well lets just say the worm gets a little smaller.

As soon as I got the hang of it and caught my first worm... I was hooked! (That will eventually be an oxymoron.)

I had so much fun! It was by far one of the best hunting trips I have been on in a while.

My Brown Eyed Girl was in worm heaven.  

We probably caught 20 worms or more.

After our hunt was over, we transferred our catch into a more suitable container - ie not JC's water bowl.

Grandpop gave the worms a little potting soil.

Then Grandma Joan and our Brown Eyed Girl had to feed the worms. They picked lots of grass - because that's what worms eat. Or so I was told by Brown Eyed Girl.

Then I had to convince her that she could not sleep with the worms in her room.

Worms like it chilly, they like to live outside. They simply would get too hot in her room.

Sounded good.

It worked.

We can't wait to go fishing!