Critters of Love Joy Falls 😍

You knew this one was coming. The creepy crawlies and hippity hoppities. The slimy and slinky and fluffy and fuzzy. This is a photo dump of the creatures featured at Love Joy Falls where we last went camping. Plus, a few true tales you may enjoy.

Did you know, you can eat almost any animal or bug? There were a few that were covered in a book Hive account@lunamoon brought with to learn about the outdoors. It mentioned crickets and grasshoppers.

There weren't many bold crickets to be found, but we did catch several grasshoppers and she wanted to roast one. I was overflowing with primal joy and encouraged her. Once it sizzled enough, I grabbed a leg and mowed it down. Hive account@khaldeesi got the other hind leg. Hive account@freyamber was not so daring and opted out of the bug snack. After a long 30 minutes, Luna finally dared to chomp into it and decided it didn't taste horrible. I told her crickets taste way better.

One of the small natural wonders we happened across, was a morning spider web fresh with dew. They all thought this was awesome. I also thought so and noticed a spider sitting there. Had to get a picture. After a few days I went through the pictures and noticed something even cooler about that spider, can you see it?

I did not take pictures of this, but the mental images are still etched fairly fresh. As the oldest and I played cards, one of those big black beetles with the giant pincers and extra long antennae crept into the tent porch with us. We weren't thrilled. I grabbed a napkin and threw it back outside.

Now, I love most bugs, but some can hurt you. This one could. So I was nice and let it go. But, it came back in by crawling under the screen and made my terrier jump under the table. So, I had to get rid of it. Permanently, by smashing it with a shoe while Luna screamed a bit and jostled in her chair as it was right at her feet. For good measure, I cut it in half.

Bad bug. Begone.

Ya, no.

This mother fucker climbed up the wall of the tent, guts hanging with three legs and jumped down onto the candle! Beats all I've ever seen and scared the shit out of me. Too big to remain in the candle, I pulled it out and got surgical with the zombie beetle by dismembering every limb, amputating the head and dissecting the brain and then then dropped it back in the hot wax. It didn't move after that.

We had fun though and there were tons of things we didn't get pictures of. What fun is a camping trip if I'm holding a camera the entire time? 😜 Lot of firsts I was proud of, including the success of the trip itself. Let's start another great week and REMEMBER TO BE YOU! I always am, even as a beetle murderer.