It’s a very bad day indeed for this snail who thinks his luck is in because it’s been raining and he can trail around in a nice moist environment. He’s just emerged from under a plant pot, travelled up its side and has his sights firmly fixed on the pot’s contents. He’s wrong to think he’s getting his lunch though because he’s stuck his head out of his shell just in time to get photographed (still loving that Lensbaby) and then eaten by a hen for her lunch! As they say, it’s a dog eat dog world out there. Eat or be eaten.

How can I be so sure he’s about to be eaten?

Well, because after I took the shot, I called the hens over then slung all of the emerging snails in their direction then watched as the hens charged around gleefully chomping them up like the greatest delicacy known to hen! There is something primevally satisfying about this experience. It’s like watching the food chain in the making. Hens make great garden pest removers and of course this means that instead of the snails getting my plants, my eggs get slug flavoured(!!??!!) and the hapless snails end up becoming added nutrients in my compost, instead of taking my crops from me!

Organic gardening at its finest.

The only thing that puzzles me is why the snails are all over the dead wallflower plants rather than making straight for succulent new growth on the other plants. Ah well, I’m not sure I’m that worried about it – they’re gone now!!!!!

Two years ago I was tired and last year me an 'im were being lazy!