After previewing some of the video from yesterday, we decided to go outside for a few shots. There seemed to be too much noise in the shot of the snail emerging from the shell. We took the camera outside, arranged a nice bed of leaves, and then, I went back inside to retrieve the Wolfsnail. I found an empty plastic container. An escape! I sounded the alarm and Richard and I examined each of the leaves on the plants, the stems, the fallen leaves, the crevices in the bricks, the space under the background paper. The humor was seeping out of me. Wolfsnails are not easily found — especially after the cold weather sets in. Then, when I lifted the third of four sheets of background paper on the last side of the tub, there it was, attached to the side of the plastic plant container. Phew!
(Of course, the wolfsnail did not escape from a lidded plastic container. We/I left it out after yesterday’s shooting. Rookie mistake.)
I placed the found snail on the bed of leaves, watered it with rain water, and waited. It emerged — very slowly — but beautifully. Tail first. High fives! Until Richard noticed that he wasn’t actually recording. Errrrrrrgh!
I used my finger to nudge the snail back into its shell, placed it again, and then proceeded to badger Richard with questions about what else could go wrong: Is there enough space on the card? Is the battery fully charged? Um, the battery is about to die.
The wolfsnail is now back it its small plastic tub, lid secured. It is sharing space with a juicy worm that I dug up for a shot near the end of the story. It is our hope the two will get along.
Richard has ordered a second battery. We are about to have a cup of tea, and hope for a better day tomorrow.
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