Summer's End

When my sister and I were little my mom would take us to find monarch caterpillars towards the end of the summer. We'd search for a patch of fresh, green milkweed - the caterpillars' favorite food - and if we were lucky, find one or two of the yellow, black, and white striped insects. We'd bring them home, set them up to continue chowing down on the milkweed in a tank, and wait...wait for the change. One day they'd seem a little slower, eating with less vigor. They'd begin a pilgrimage to the top of the tank and start to spin their silk in a more concentrated manner, and then they'd assume the position: bottoms up, head down, curled into a "J". Then the magic happened. In no time at all they'd become encased in their chrysalis, a light green pod with flecks of gold. Beautiful. Metamorphosis for a couple weeks and then the green would fade and the telltale orange and black wings of the monarch butterfly would start showing through. Once you can see the wings, it isn't long till they break free, latch on, and set out to dry their wings. It is thrill to see this as a kid. It is a thrill as a 33 year old, too. My family and I collected a few monarch caterpillars this summer. A few in MD and two here in NY. My niece MJC got to learn about the process this summer...and the tradition continues. Here are a few shots of her letting the first butterfly (sadly, slightly injured) go.

I've got a blog...but I wonder if I will ever use it

Hi! I was cruising some of my friends' blogs and thought I might take a shot at making my own because I...I don't know...I just might want one some day. I love looking at everyone's pictures and reading what is going on with them. I do worry about strangers looking at my blog, though. What a creepy thought. I will work on keeping it family and friends only. I should have done this while BPS and I were in Australia...

Anyway, as a test, I thought I would post a few pictures. They were taken in Australia and New Zealand. I really miss that part of the world.
Have a look.

This is good old Townsville, QLD. This picture was taken from Magnetic Island. What a lovely view!


These are some of the Pancake Rocks on the north end of the South Island of New Zealand.


This one always cracks me up! A brazen sheep in Tasmania.


I am thinking of my Aunt today and hoping she's ok...
xox
SLB

ps: Let me know if you think I should keep up with this blogging thing.