Metamorphasis

There's been some excitement lately in the flower bed in front of the house. 

A butterfly milkweed plant was host to some bugs with striped pajamas, 

specifically the kind that turn into monarch butterflies. 

With their voracious appetites, they ate the plant right down to the stems. 

When they were quite full, 

they wandered off in search of a perfect place to spin a cocoon.

The little things looked quite helpless, flailing away at the edge of a stem, 

before turning back to find a better place.

Ahhh...  This might do.

On the day most of them moved off to find a sheltering place for their cocoon, the skies opened and rain fell in torrents. In the past, we've had less than desirable results with cocoons and moisture, so Don stretched a rope from a couple of places on the front of the house to the light pole, and draped a camouflage tarp over it, to serve as a tent for the small creatures. It looked like something right out of Duck Dynasty, but it worked. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that one should never underestimate a good man with rope and a camouflage tarp. The hummingbirds were happy with the arrangement, too, and quickly took to their new perches.

One by one, the caterpillars found their places.  

Most of them attached to a stem or the underside of a leaf, 

but there was one on the light pole, one on the side of the birdbath, 

and one on the overhang above the garage door.  

They hung there limp and lifeless...

...until, awakened by some inner compulsion, they wiggled into a soft green cocoon.

Over the next few days, their metamorphosis continued.

Stay tuned...


For the emergence, click here.




Linking with Saturday's Critters

Mr. Mom

Mr. Cardinal was busy recently satisfying the voracious appetite of this youngster.

The little one is growing quickly and learning to fend for itself.

Two and a half weeks ago, my husband, Don, had an emergency procedure that repaired a tear in his esophagus and saved his life.  He was in intensive care for a few days, and now he's home and on the mend, and we are very grateful.  It's interesting how something like that can rearrange your priorities, and a lot of things that seemed important before have taken a backseat for the time being.

What stands in our memory is the kindness of strangers, the caring professionalism of the medical team at the hospital, and mostly, the support of our loving Father.

As a father has compassion on his children, 

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;

for He knows how we are formed,

He remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103: 13, 14

Linking with Wild Bird Wednesday
and Saturday's Critters

Garden Party

Summer has been here for 59 days now, and it has been a very pleasant one, 

but it is finally showing its true colors with a few sultry days.

While everyone is trying to cool off...

a young female cardinal wonders what's going on in the flowerbed.  

It's a party, of course.  

The Salvia and Rosemary sent out fragrant invitations on the breeze to the butterflies and hummingbirds:

You're invited to a garden party.

Refreshments will be served as the nectar lasts.

Please wear your dazzling colors.

And so they have come, dressed in their finery.  

When the party began,

 the rosemary flowers were all standing straight as soldiers at Buckingham Palace 

and forgot to bend a few stems for the hummingbirds to perch on.  

Fortunately, there was some thin, rusty wire in the shop that worked for seating.

If you build it, they will come.




Linking with:
id-rather-b-birdin
Saturday's Critters
and Wild Bird Wednesday

Thanks to Kim Klassen for her texture Cecile on the first image.