24 Comments
User's avatar
Pamela Leavey's avatar

Such a fun post Sydney! When I was a little girl and my family and my mom's siblings and their families would all camp on the beach, my dad and my uncle would gather the small children around to watch snails (most likely periwinkles) race. The would set two on a starting line and we would sit there watching and waiting. Slow living in the 60's!

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thanks so much for sharing this story, Pamela! What a fun memory, pure magic, it put a smile on my face just imagining it 💕

Expand full comment
Timber Fox's avatar

That was beautiful writing and photography, thank you for sharing these little creatures with us!

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you so much, Thomas! It was a welcome little retreat of my own this week, just taking a moment with the snails :)

Expand full comment
Noel's avatar

I'm too outraged over current events to think of anything to say, so I'll just say thank you for this very welcome respite today.

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you so much, Noel, I feel you. 💕

Expand full comment
Grace Drigo's avatar

As a child whenever I was lonely (which was often) I played with garden snails on my nonni’s farm in Italy. I enjoyed the sensation of letting them slide up and down my arm. They were not as lovely as periwinkles but fun nonetheless. 🩵

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Oh, the garden snails, Grace! It's true, the periwinkles can get pretty flashy in all those fancy colors, but when our garden snails light up, they are pure gold! And just so endlessly cute 💕

Expand full comment
Edward Goode's avatar

Thank you for this. I loved it!

I had a dear friend who passed away nearly 2 years ago after a 3 year fight against colon cancer. When she was in her treatments, she would often talk of having a "snail day" - a day when she simply needed to pull into her shell and retreat.

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

That is so sweet, Edward, thank you for sharing. The idea of a "snail day" will always hold a special place in my heart now, such a beautiful concept.

Expand full comment
Kimberly Warner's avatar

Schlurrp!!! I love this so much Sydney. Thanks for a moment to retreat inside those magical shells.

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thanks so much, Kimberly, so glad to have shared this moment with you!💕

Expand full comment
Sandy S's avatar

Thank you for sharing how successfully snails can retreat on quick notice! I am thinking we can also make retreats by turning off the tv, radio, and other devices. Even if it is only for an hour or two, we each need to take breaks to give ourselves relief from the noise. The gigantic stinking noise of our time. I started cutting back on cable tv in November. I only missed it for a few days and than became engaged with actually living my life without The Noise! I highly recommend this for gaining control of ones life! Snails are on to something. As is Sydney! Thank you for the post! :-)

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you for this, Sandy, this is a fantastic direct application of this nature lesson! Retreat from all that electronic noise, such good advice. 💕

Expand full comment
Jack McNulty's avatar

Beautiful photography, as always...

I really enjoy the idea of crawling into a protected shell to wait for the storm to pass - that feels especially poignant these days.

Thanks for allowing me to escape to your tidepool for the couple of minutes it took to go through this post.

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thanks for sharing a moment of retreat with me, Jack!

Expand full comment
Sarah Savage's avatar

I love the snail trails! I didn’t realize they made "roads" or that others used them too. Fascinating!

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you, Sarah! Isn’t that so funny? Nature is constantly surprising me with new delightful details like this. Snail rush hour🤦🏼‍♀️🤣

Expand full comment
Jenny Donovan's avatar

Love your posts. Between your words and beautiful photos, it is a momentary retreat. 💚

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you, Jenny! It was certainly the moment of retreat that I needed, personally - so happy to be able to share it with others, too!

Expand full comment
Marlee Terry's avatar

All the best to your husband and his recovery.

I loved seeing all the snails lined up at the shoreline. I've never seen anything like that before.

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thanks so much, Marlee! It’s going pretty well - uncomfortable, but definitely making progress :)

Aren’t they something? They do not have a thing about personal space 🤣

Expand full comment
Teyani Whitman's avatar

I too would enjoy the ability to own a hard shell to buffer me from the onslaughts of this world.

I love the photo of the colony with the wave cresting over them. And can imagine you wading out into the water to catch this angle. So well done.

Expand full comment
SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

Thank you so much, Teyani! 💕

Expand full comment