There is something about the beach and the open sea that brings delight to a child. Maybe it is the regularity of the water lapping over their little feet or the smell of salt and the grit of sand. When I was young I remember how the ocean stretched to heaven. I remember attempting to dig passage to China only to find my hole fill with water. Those poor Chinese must always be drowning.
Alex delicately holds a crab's dropped pincher.
If you look really closely, you can see Alex and Ben with my kayak in the background.
Daddy and darling look-a-like
15 hermit crabs came home with us. Okay, it was a little many. The children had a hard time choosing which they liked best....Barnacle Bill was a favorite. Unfortunately 8 days after naming them and painting their shells, four of them went to be with their Creator. We released the living 11 back to nature.
It was quite the experience. We watched many of them change shells before our eyes. To me they looked like gymnasts on bars as they raised their body out of one shell and pendulum swung into another. It was funny to see them abandon their plain shells for our decorated ones.
Here are their chosen shell motifs:
1. A tennis racket and a ball
2. A white bunny for Fritz's beloved velveteen rabbit
3. Glitter - I named the crab Golden Opportunity or "Op" for short.
4. A goofy pink bird with googly eyes- This crab particularly liked to sit in the water dish. Emily named it Cheety.
5. Patriotic with a blue star- This crab liked to hide a lot...maybe it was ashamed of the direction America is heading. Strangely enough it was the first to die. I pray it isn't foreshadowing.
6. Color splash
7. Hearts and flowers- This was the first crab to upgrade its living quarters. It was also Jane's shell. I do hope it was a female crab...otherwise the crab had a softer side.
The hermit crabs were very active and climbed and stacked themselves like sushi in a box. We did discover salt water hermit crabs don't make for the best pets as the aquarium began to reek every few days. I replaced the sand when they took a bath. Even though the water wasn't cold hermit crabs chatter when they bathe. Who knew?
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