Beauty and the Beasts

We have spent many hours underwater swimming out from this doorway/tree in Aguadilla. We call it the Courthouse Wall because it extends down in front of the area where the old courthouse used to be. We used to dive further south but then figured out we could get to the wall faster from this spot. We have seen a manatee out here (briefly) and tarpon and all the usual players. The reef is patchy close in but there is a nice wall that goes to around 60 feet or so. Beautiful! This is the view from further down where we originally used to go in. There is a nice little sand beach for those days when nobody else is out. You can see the reef patches and different shades of blue.

Now for the beasts. I am not a fan of meat in general, never was, and most definitely am not and probably never will be after living here. I can eat a FRESH fish. I will eat chicken if I am starving or someone makes it and I don't want to be rude. Steak I will not do. Churassco or other beef things I won't touch and whatever these little cubes are I want nothing to do with.

I don't want to eat these cubes either and for the same $5 I can get a giant head of cauliflower to roast and pig out on something free of antibiotics, cholesterol and what ever else is in this body part.

I think these are feet (but they look like noses) and I have smelled soup being made out of them. Not for me. I have also seen the carnage of gristle and fat left behind on the plate.

I watch the cooking channel and have seen a nice looking salad adorned with "crispy pig ears." I don't care what chef came up with that one - I don't want it. I have even seen ears not pre-cut complete with their tatoo ear numbers (as if it weren't unappealing already). For the same price I can get a couple cans of beans and make a nice bean salad. I hear the argument that "not everyone can afford good quality meat" and to that I say "eat something other than meat!"

This little kitty is both beauty and beast...either thrown out of a car near our property or born in the jungle.  Somehow it managed to crawl up to our property hungry. It had no idea how lucky it was. This little kitty has a new home and is getting spayed tomorrow. Then come the rounds of shots. It even has a kitty companion already in its house. This animal story repeats itself in a never ending loop except for the "happy ending." Most "beasts" end up smashed, diseased and starving. We do what we can.