With our compass lost in the blizzard, young Wainwright and I gamely vowed to soldier on as best we could. Shouldering our packs, we inched our way down the treacherous cliffs while I attempted to get our bearings by watching the sun. This, however, proved fruitless, as the sun seemed to dart capriciously across the morning sky. Yet it was not the sun that shifted, but ourselves, and it was then I realized we had become marooned on the dreaded… Index Mountains.
Natalie C. alerted us to this story from Zooborns, about the efforts of Marwell Wildlife Park to prevent the extinction of the tiny Partula snail.
Wait until they get to the Finger Lakes…
FTW!
BWAH!
Or the Pointer Sisters…
nicely volleyed
Eww. Sorry, I generally see the cute in most animals on this wonderful earth we share, but anything that comes close to slugs… [shudder!]
I was going to offer to shoulder their packs for them, especially Young Wainwright’s pretty pearl one, but then I realised it would make them……….
Actually, to be stiff upper-lipped British, they should be wearing brown tweed plus fours teamed with brown brogue shoes and argyll-patterned knee-length socks. Then knee-length brown knitted bathing drawers at the ready in preparation for Palm Beach. Perhaps they’ve got them stowed in the packs.
*giggle* “Palm Beach”!
And when they’re hanging by a thread over a mile-deep crevasse, they say “I say, old bean, we’re in for a spot of bother.”
you’ve got mail!
or at least, “you’ve got” SNAIL !!!!
Press on in your descent, brave explorers! At the foot of the Index Mountains lies the safe haven of Palm Beach.
Bows to Oakley and the superior wordsmithery
YAY 260
NTMTOM you are such an awesome writer!
^^^ times infinity
and beyond
(echoes into the distance)
(echoes again, slightly more quietly)
(and again….)
I would not touch ‘em, but I’d still go “awww!” Then let them go on their merry, squishy, sluggy way.
save the snailios!
*shakes the Pompoms of Enthusiasm*
*YAY Young Wainwright & Co. !!!! *
YES! Small creepy crawley slimey heebie jeebie booger buggy things need protection too!
Also, cute is in the eye of the beholder. And I behold much cuteness.
A ha ha ha, “shouldering their packs” indeed! Oh, so cute.
I say, NTMTOM old bean, I certainly hope the brave lads reached their destination! Cheerio, pip pip, Flower-of-Britain, stiff upper antenna, keep calm and carry on!
“stiff upper antenna”
*laughsnort!*
Talley-ho, mate! Cheers!
Oh yes! British banter!
Cute little snailios AND Blackadder? What a great combo!
Such cute little snails! Such brave adventurers!
I went to the Zooborns site to read the story and was distracted by the blinking critters in the sidebar. They are cute, but distracting.
No applause please!
I can’t wait for Chapter 24 to see what happens!!
Our heroes are snails. Prepare to wait.
i see what you did there LisaLassie
*giggle*
*ooooh such wise peeps abide hereabouts*
I can’t wait until the movie version comes out with Brenden Frasier.
MmmHmm! Sits next to Kar.
*Grabs the mongo-sized bucket of popcorn, plops down beside pyrit.*
Bebeh eye-stalks! Awwww….
Now there’s a phrase I’ll bet you’d never have predicted yourself saying before CO.
If ever there was a photographic example of the Rule of Cuteness that says that when something small makes you look even smaller, I would say that these two snailios are the example. Seriously how teeny must that little one be?!?
Also, LOVE the tag “crawlies”
Also, also LOVE NTMTOM, but you already knew that…
When the community chat brings me a vole, I graciously accept it without comment pro or con, and similarly use an old Hilshire Farms deli meat container to rescue the poor creature and release him/her on the other side of the fence. Comm Cat thinks I’m nuts. Oh well!
At least they don’t have to deal with the three terrors of the Fire Swamp.