Wormsign

Or maybe more accurately, slug tracks. After one of our recent rains I saw hundreds of these tracks in the soft mud that is otherwise known as the dirt road through the vineyard. The tracks led to and from the innumerable puddles that dot the length of the road.

They're almost like the Nazca lines in Peru, aren't they?

I think these are slug tracks because (a) I've seen a lot of slugs on the road, and (b) the tracks go in more or less straight lines. For some reason, I imagine the worms not making such straight tracks. Most of the worms I see on the road are in various stages of drying up, all curled and wriggling.

I like each of these photos for different reasons, so you get to see them both.

I've gotten over my initial urge to help the poor things by moving them into a puddle or into the grass. I figure there are plenty of worms. The worms I see are the ones who couldn't or wouldn't save themselves. It's evolution in action. Besides, the worms' death and decay add additional nutrients to the environment. I try not to interfere with another organism's supper.

Extra points if you know where the title of this post comes from.