One of my initial motivations for creating this blog was to encourage others (and myself) that exploring and appreciating nature doesn’t have to be a big production. You don’t have to climb a mountain, travel to a national park, or thru-hike the Appalachian Trail to experience the nature world (although all of those things would be amazing). It is simply about remembering to notice that bird outside your window, or maybe taking a second to appreciate those wildflowers while walking your dog.
With that thought in mind, I wanted to share my unexpected nature surprise from this evening. I went out to cut down a plant that had grown up between my deck boards (did I mention I hate yard work?), and as I pulled out one of the pieces, I met this little guy:
Now, I am no snail ID expert. I have no clue what species this is, and I don’t know anything about its natural history. I uploaded my photos to the iNaturalist app (a great tool for getting to know wildlife around you), so hopefully I’ll be able to learn more down the line. For today, it was enough to just spend a few minutes observing and enjoying an unexpected encounter.
Did you have any fun nature moments today? Feel free to share what you saw or did in the comments. And if you happen to be a snail expert, please let me know what I found!
Stepping Outside 