The weather here last week was excellent, mild and beautiful. The bluebirds began house hunting, but chickadees and sparrows had their eyes on the same real estate. We had a few turf wars- you can just guess who I was pulling for.
Because it was warm and sunny, I ventured out often, to my porch, looking for bluebirds. On my way back into my kitchen, I noticed a butterfly flying around in my butterfly house. Every spring, I plant any available area in my yard, my neighbor's yard, a hummingbird/butterfly garden. Lots of hosts flowers, herbs, and citrus. Then as the butterflies lay eggs, I wait for them to hatch. Once they get a little size to them, I put them in my butterfly house. I usually have Monarch, Gulf Fritillary, Eastern Swallowtail, and Giant Swallowtail caterpillars. (The house is large enough to put whole plants inside.) It is really a house of miracles. The caterpillars spend about a week gorging themselves, then the pupa stage begins, or chrysalis. They suspend themselves to the house, and the metamorphosis has only another step. After about ten days, most of them hatch into beautiful butterflies. They hang down, and pump new life into their paper-thin wings. When they are ready to begin their new life, I open the door, and they fly out, or sit on my finger a minute and take in God's creation. Then, off they go! But sometimes, they "over-winter". Since Monday, I have hatched six more. I guess they were enjoying a long winter's nap- a lot like me.
The former teacher in me loves to watch all this and am always amazed. But now, even my neighbor's twin granddaughters have had enough. They would rather help my husband clean out the garage, or work on an old boat.
I've gone on about butterflies long enough. I'm still waiting for my bluebird family, but you never know what I'll see tomorrow.....
What a delightful neighbor! How I would have loved to have her for a teacher.
ReplyDelete