Random Things on My Mind Right Now

1. We “adopted” a Monarch caterpillar and after almost two weeks it remains to be alive! It’s grown from 1/2 to 1 centimeter, I hope it makes it to become a beautiful butterfly or I will feel incredibly guilty for saying, “yes” to my daughter after she found it and asked to bring it home. I later realized it was 

2. Before moving we put many of our things into storage and after a month it was broken into. A month later we emptied it out after moving. We have discovered a few things missing, but the only thing I miss terribly that creates a lump in my throat is our guest book. Not from our wedding, but from our guest room in our old house. My mom (who I got the idea from) wrote in it faithfully whenever she came to visit. Even my dad wrote in it. Each entry was a personal letter to my family and besides sadness I am in complete confusion on why it hasn’t turned up and hope that it just miraculously appears one day…..SOON!

3. I love playing games and often wish to have a monthly game night, I think I would enjoy it even more than my book club. Hmm, I may have to move forward with this idea.

4. If I lost my phone I think I would get over it quickly, but instead it’s almost always near me. Why the extremes?

5. I’m really hoping that I can find the flower I want at the farmer’s market tonight, but am afraid that July 18th is too late to go flower shopping.

Monarch Mishaps

For the past few years I have wanted to raise a Monarch caterpillar with my kids and watch its transformation to a beautiful butterfly. This “want” never resulted into finding a caterpillar or even inquiring where I could find one. This year one fell right into my lap, well not literally, but it might as well have when one of my son’s classmates asked us if we wanted one. I answered, “YES!” faster than my son heard the question.

Over the weekend in between when we signed the adoption papers and the caterpillar’s arrival we searched and found milkweed, the main criteria for keeping it alive. We set up a container and then in just a day after bringing our baby home it got into its ready position of a “J” to start it’s chrysalis. Two days later we confirmed it dead as its body flattened, blackened and no chrysalis was formed.

Upon hearing of our loss the mom offered us a chrysalis. They had three and would give it to us in a jar, already formed and nothing we could do could kill it she assured us. Although she did say it could take weeks, so we should be patient. Unfortunately we missed the phase when it changed from a bright green chrysalis to transparent, because less than two days later we had a beautiful male butterfly. We knew it was male because of two black dots/spots on its wings. It flew from the jar lid when we weren’t looking, but thankfully our cat helped us locate it. We each held it on our finger before releasing it.

 

On a related note, if you’ve never read “Adios, Oscar” by Peter Elwell I would highly recommend this great picture book! 

http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Oscar-A-Butterfly-Fable/dp/0545071593