Miniature beauties

On the path around the beaver pond, I came across these tiny bright specks in the grass.

Unidentfied. Five split petals, palest mauve with stripes and a yellow butterfly shape beckoning pollinators; densely-packed leaves on the flowering stem. So tiny, I could not see their shape; the camera serves as a magnifying lens.

The plants were about a foot tall; each leafy stalk had a few flowers blooming near the tip.

Sharp-pointed leaves,palmate, opposite, alternating directions.

And I give up: I've spent several hours trying to identify them, and failing. Do you recognize them?

Update: That was quick; a naturalist in Crete gave me a genus, and I found them here: it's Eyebright, Euphrasia stricta. (Probably)

(Why I love blogging!)

Sand with legs.

The sand seemed to be moving. I collected a bit on my fingertip; it was still moving. The camera saw what my eyes were missing.

A baby crab.

By the shape, longer than he is wide, and pointed at the head, I think he may be one of the kelp crabs.

Little grains of sand

And the littlest hermit:

In a shell about the size of a grain of rice.

And smaller than the food pellet he's running to capture. Ambitious little critter!