Crabicure anyone??

Oh man...I sure do love nature. I love living in a place where nature abounds and lives in unison with us big old humans. I think for the most part people here do respect nature...although, I know trapping and shooting and other things that I would not even want to know about happen here too. There are those that see some animals as a nuisance to their life. Like, I know that it must be terrible when you have chickens and a raccoon or mink come in the night and kill them...it seems quite frustrating. It would totally suck. And I would be a balled up mess of tears and sobs and yells if I were to wake up and go feed my sweet and nutty chickens to find them torn apart or the blood sucked right out of them. Sick. In that event, I think I would either restructure my coop, making it tougher than Fort Knox to get in, or not keep chickens anymore. And I would be right mad at those raccoon or mink that did it...maybe even some one's dog...you never really know. But I can not, for the life of me imagine then setting up trap, catching the cute little critter and then shooting or drowning it. Pre-meditatingly, taking another living beings life. (I know it is "just an animal", but seriously.) They too are just trying to get by. Live on what they know. Eating food from it's surroundings. Scavenging where they can to get food to live on and feed their children so that they can grow up. We are all from the same place...we are meant to share...but we are taking over...ahhhh....I am getting into something I can not stop. I could write forever on the way I feel about the role of human vs. nature. Touchy subject...but I am too much of a lover to be completely realistic about it all. I just think we ought to let nature thrive...that way I feel that we can thrive.

Anyways...my friend Sonia has two sweet little girls. Eva and Sadie. I think they are like 5 and 7ish or something VERY close to that...they grow so fast...I can't keep up. ;o) And, as these amazing girls grow, they learn some pretty cool things...especially living on an island. They have taught me some really cool facts about nature in the ocean. Like...they showed me the difference between a boy crab and a girl crab. The "boy" crab is on the left in the image here...he has a lighthouse on his belly. The "girl" crab has a bee hive or football on her belly. That is how you can tell the sex of a crab. Who knew? Two little girls knew that super interesting piece of information. Thanks girls...I really appreciate the knowledge that you are passing along to me. I enjoy hanging out with these little island girls. ;o) One day they taught me about the "Crabicure". The what?? The Crabicure! I have never been to Thailand, (I sure would love to some day) but I have heard of the places you can go to and have some tea while your feet are immersed in a pool of water filled with tiny little fishies that nibble on the dead flesh on your feet and toes. It sounds a bit odd...perhaps really disgusting to some people. I feel that it is amazing and one day I would love to actually experience the process myself. But, as I learned from Eva and Sadie...I too can have a very similar adventure right here in our own backyard! Crabs feast on decomposing matter on the ocean floor. When you throw a crab trap into the water you put a chicken carcass or something meaty/fleshy to lure the crabs over and trap them. (I have also seen people use a cat food can with holes made in the top for the gross substance to slowly ooze out and attract the bottom feeders.) So, in a tidal pool, the crabs will come to your quietly, just sitting there feet and feed off your dead skin. Who needs a pumice stone when you have crabs?? It is tickly and can sometimes be hurty if they pinch too hard or keep at the same spot for too long...but, they are cleaning your feet, for free. Thanks guys, that is pretty awesome. :o) I love the way it feels as they lightly scrape that hardened foot skin off. Hee hee. I like watching their little claws pinch and then feed whatever they got into their little flickery mouths. It is pretty cute actually. At least I think so. It's nature and it is 100% fabulous and fantastic and amazing and surreal some times. Nature can totally blow my mind.

Clint and I  enjoyed a good Crabicure on our date night last night down at Taylor Bay. My feet feel good now...maybe we go back today! ;o)