Worms

I feel bad for worms this time of year.  You never see worms in the winter.  They are safely tucked away under the blanket of snow and frozen earth.  Until spring rains thaw everything out.

When it rains, worms are all forced up out of their homes in the soil so they don't drown.
When it stops raining, they frantically (how can you tell if a worm is frantic?) scramble for the soil again.
When the sun comes out and dries up the rain, it also dries up all the poor worms who didn't make it to the soil in time.  Poor worms.

Last week, as I was getting into my car to leave for the day, I saw one on my driveway writhing around and it looked like maybe it was heading to the crack in the pavement where a tiny sliver of soil was visible and a few scrawny blades of grass.  There was still a small puddle but not touching the worm.  I knew it's probable fate by the time I returned home later that day.  An idea occurred to me so I grabbed an empty water bottle from my car, filled it from the spigot on the side of the house, and poured a nice pathway from the worm to the spot of soil.

When I got home, there was no sign of puddle or pathway but there was also no sign of worm!  I feel sure I would have found it dried up where I left it otherwise.  I don't know if the worm followed the water trail or if it helped it at all.  For all I know, a bird got it, but I choose to envision it living in that crack below the tiny tuft of grass!