The sun came out today and it warmed up in the afternoon, so I was keeping an hourly watch on this caterpillar, as another curled up cat, that had been curled up for two days, formed a chrysalis in a couple of hours and I missed it. This one looked pretty much the same as it […]
It’s been gently raining, on and off, for the better part of three days. The ground is soaked, and so are my cats. I go out several times a day to check on them, and count them. This AM, I found 13 caterpillars, five chrysalises, and one forming a chrysalis. About nine, like this one, are […]
Today was the day! I checked on my cocoon early, as it was quite dark yesterday. I took this photo about an hour before she emerged. You can see where the dark ring top left became a row of holes, presumably for ventilation, as it does not function as an exit zipper. The butterfly rips […]
After yesterday’s post, I went out to clean the remaining egg off the driveway, or, I tried. I was using the “jet” setting on my hose sprayer and blasting one bad spot. I looked ahead about ten feet from me and saw something dangling to a 20″ plastic pot of a flowering bush. I figured […]
I had been alerted that rain was coming this weekend, and I knew I had to get a fresh layer of alfalfa down on my hard-baked clay, otherwise, every trip into the garden would result in mud-caked shoes. So, this morning, I spread it out. Rain was coming down gently on my back. I had […]
Today, October 22nd, is the 22nd birthday of my son, Walker. He’s a senior at Stanford, and I’d hoped to be up there, but the life of a college athlete is very busy, and he didn’t think he would even have time to dine with me. So, I am not going to see him in […]
My Monarch photo appeared on GardenStalking today! (Click on the photo to go the blog post.) GardenStalking is a sister site to DessertStalking. Join GardenStalking and submit photos! Monarch Butterflies only lay eggs on milkweed, and the Western Monarch is particularly at risk due to a parasite called O.C., and with loss of habitat. Grow […]
Monarch caterpillars, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: You are gentle, and stunningly beautiful; You don’t mind sharing a milkweed branch with a sibling; You can hang upside down, while shedding your skin; (See those smaller feet it has just shed? This rather blows my mind.) You are big! Your color […]
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