A Crab Who Dresses Up-How Cool is That?

“What do you want for Mother’s Day?”

(Is it that time already? Think fast! They’re going to grant your request)

“Pizza at the park so I can play with the grand kids.”

“What else?”

(Think fast!…no, what else could I possibly want)

So pizza at the park it was and it was a blast, because the thing I love best is taking kids on nature walks. I used to teach horticulture and took my students and later the inmates at the kid’s jail on nature walks. As I led my merry band of grand children around the park, other kids joined us. We found and marveled at at a hundred things, and it wasn’t even a very long walk. If I had about ten acres, I would spend the rest of my life taking kids on nature walks.

As I was eating pizza with my daughters, they, being modern humans, pulled out their camera/phones. “Wait, why do you look old?” Mary asked. “Because I’ve lived a long time and that’s what happens.” I theorized. We talked about those little crabs that put stuff on their shells. “What are they called?” We could not remember.

Autumn called Carlo. “Why are you asking Carlo? What is he, four?” “Watch,” said Autumn. “Hey Carlo, what are those crabs that put stuff on their shells?” His little brow furrowed and he offered several names of crabs, but then shook his head. “Decorator Crabs!” he finally said and ran off to play.

How cool are Decorator Crabs? Some put weeds, sponges, and detritus on their shells, apparently for camouflage. Some put stinging creatures on their shells for defense. If you take off their decorations, they immediately set about redecorating.

A thousand marvels are right outside your doorway. I challenge you to turn off your cell phone for a few minutes, take a little walk and go enjoy some today.