Calm Days and Couponing

“Life's a game, all you have to do, is know how to play it.” - unknown

Yay for quiet days!

We had a pretty uneventful day, yesterday. I am eternally grateful. When we're back into a routine, everyone is happier. Calmer. More peaceful.

I made someone laugh the other day at the dog park when I said I raised my daughter like I raised my dog (she said, "With a choke chain and a crate?"... lol... Okay, so maybe it wasn't EXACTLY the same!). For those of you who watch "The Dog Whisperer" you know that Ceasar is always saying that dogs need "rules, boundaries and limitations". Same with kids.

DD (and Dakota) were given rules, boundaries and limitations. Punishment for disobedience, praise and reward for observing those rules. As a parent, I did my best to be consistent and fair. Inconsistency confuses kids (and dogs). If one day they are allowed to do something and the next they're punished for it, they never know what's right.

I think having a routine is the same. It gives us parameters to how the day should be. And having those parameters makes people (me, at least) calmer.

Speaking of the dog park, I found that one of the ladies there works for Cigna (of the "Monarch Massacre"). She was talking about how "green" they are and was sharing all the green things they do ... so I brought up the field of milkweed, explained about the monarchs and asked if she knew who to contact about their mowing schedule. She did and was going to do it for me. I should find out this coming weekend at the dog park (assuming it doesn't rain) whether she was able to ask them to NOT mow until after the first hard frost. Hopefully there will be no Monarch Massacre this year.

On a fun note, I did my first foray into serious couponing yesterday. I'm not totally crazy -- I have no plans to go the the store and rack up a $1000 bill, then pay $9 for it at the end like the crazy coupon ladies on Extreme Couponing. I'm not going to buy what I don't need. And I don't have 70 hours a week to dedicate to it.

But ... for a few bucks, DD can clip coupons for me. It takes me 30 mins or so to sort through and keep the ones I'll use. Once or twice a week, I'll match them up to flyers, and hit the stores. I'm lucky that I have EVERYTHING in a fairly close radius: CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are about two miles away. WalMart and Target are about five miles away. I have two grocery stores very close (soon to be three).

Here's what I brought home:



Here's what I paid at two stores:




That doesn't look THAT impressive, until you realize I got back $12 in certificates to spend on my next order. So, I paid in total $27 for $92 worth of stuff (a 70% savings). For a couple hours work. If I hadn't bought the paper towels (which were a good deal -- but still costly: $4.99 after sale and coupon) it would have been even more impressive. *G*

Today, I can get toothbrushes free after coupon at WalMart, and I have several coupons. So... go me. If I can cut our grocery / sundries bill in half, I'll be thrilled. I don't need to get everything for free, but cheap would be nice.

And don't worry, I won't bore you will all my shopping hauls... this was my maiden voyage, though, so I had to share!

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You Are Balanced

You are a peaceful and content person. You don't ask too much of yourself or those around you. You are confident and self-assured. You never try to be someone you're not - you believe that you are enough. You have a healthy skepticism about the world. You don't buy into a lot of mainstream values. You've found a better way to live - through deep reflection and understanding yourself.

Are You Bouncy, Bold, Behaved, or Balanced?

About 50% right.

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A Visit From Jack Frost

Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter. ~Carol Bishop Hipps

We had our first frost yesterday. It wasn't a hard frost, just pretty little shiny sparks of light on the grass when I turned the light on to let the dog out. It didn't even really kill anything (not even the milkweed aphids that have infested my milkweed stalks ... making it really messy to pull them up).

Something I'd forgotten to mention from our agility match over the weekend... on the wire fence surrounding the agility equipment, DD found a monarch chrysalis. It was gray, which meant it would hatch soon, but it was right in front and getting badly bumped -- so I pulled it off and brought it home (of course! Was there any doubt?).

The next morning, we welcomed Zia to the world.




We released her around lunch time and wished her well (with the very strong advice to FLY SOUTH IMMEDIATELY -- I hope she listened). It was a lovely way to say farewell to summer.

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I watched a movie over the weekend that I completely enjoyed. It's out on DVD, so some of you may already have watched it, but it made me laugh. A lot. I'd forgotten how much I liked Ryan Reynolds (I used to watch "A Guy, A Girl and a Pizza Place" many years ago). His facial expressions and timing are right on. And my DH even enjoyed it (commenting on how good Sandra Bullock looks ... I agree and, dang it, she's three years OLDER than me).



So, if you want something to make you smile, I recommend it. The end is a little cliched, but sweet and you know me -- all about the HEA!!

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You Are the Fairy

You are charming, cheerful, and a little bit magical. You make other people's lives better. You are a bit eccentric at times, but you truly care about people in your own way. You are hyper and restless. It drives you crazy to sit still, and you are usually the first to leave any event. You are unpredictable and flighty. No one can guess what you'll be up to next ... or where you'll be!

What Part of a Fairy Tale Are You?

About 75% right, lol!

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Cooking Commences

"You will never get out of pot or pan anything fundamentally better than what went into it. Cooking is not alchemy; there is no magic in the pot." - Martha McCulloch-Williams, Dishes & Beverages Of The Old South

We have a family gathering today -- and we have to leave shortly for the first part (a baptism at 8 a.m.!! YIKES!) so this will be quick.

I saw a monarch yesterday. First one I've seen in more than a month. I waved.

I did a lot of cooking this weekend. I was VERY frustrated while trying to find recipes. When I googled "cooking tomato sauce from scratch" the first recipe I found started with a can of crushed tomatoes. Really? :::shakes head:::

I made lazy man's tomato sauce yesterday from the last tomatoes from our garden. I cored them and then cut them up and pureed them, seeds, skins and all! Then simmered with plenty of garlic and fresh herbs (marjoram, thyme and oregano) from the garden for several hours. As long as you don't mind seeds in your sauce (and I don't), it worked out fine -- with none of the blanching and peeling involved.

I made corn chowder from corn on the cob we bought, too. I've never grated corn before, but the recipe called for half the corn to be grated to make a juicy, pulpy addition to the soup (you'll find most not-from-scratch recipes call for cans of creamed corn, which is rather the same thing). It was fabulous soup -- best I've had. NOTHING beats fresh sweet corn. We bought from a local grower so it was really, really fresh.

And, yes, I completely forgot to take pix to post all this on the H&H blog. I'm bad.

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You Are Passionate

You feel very intensely, and you are definitely driven by your emotions. When confronted with something new, you tend to love it or hate it right away. There is no in between for you! You always know how you feel, and you have no problem letting everyone else know too. You are honest - probably to a fault. It's impossible for you to hold back.

The Mascot Test

That's pretty dang close to correct!!

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The End of Pillar Place 2010

And the case of butterflies so rich it looks
As if all summer settled there and died.
~Philip Larkin, "Autumn"

Yesterday marked the end of Pillar Place 2010. Both of our last monarch pupae hatched successfully. Here is our final butterbaby of the year, Xandy:



DD documented our year of monarchs on my white board:



She added tidbits, and made sure all the name tags were included:




I guess it rather ended up like a science project. :-)

We had a very successful year -- between Black Swallowtails and Monarchs, we released more than 60 butterflies, with only one loss -- a newly hatched monarch pillar. That is absolutely incredible. We've never had such a productive year with so few losses.

All the boxes are washed and stored for next year, except the cardboard "hatching" box which is in the garbage. It's seen us through many, many years, but was on its last legs. Next year we'll start fresh with a new box and hopefully as many or more pillars.

Good luck butterbabies!!

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You Are Even

You are an easy going person who is both even-tempered and even-keeled. You value stability above all else, and change can be a bit hard for you. You are compassionate and understanding. You want everyone to feel included. You tend to shy away from anything you don't understand and know. Embrace your odd side every once and a while!

Are You Even or Odd?

About 75% right.

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Good News and Validation

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

In Pillar Place: Monarch we had good news! Thomas hatched successfully :-)

He was a little ... um... challenged, but seemed to function successfully. His little behind was shaped differently than the other butterflies, and his ability to "cling" wasn't working as well as it should (most butterflies have a pile of little prickles on their feet that actually stab in and hold -- they're probably hairs but they're sharp enough to hurt when they climb on more tender areas like your face). It seemed as though it took him longer to be able to fly as well, BUT in the end he did his thing.

So...phew.

Only three more pupae left and then Pillar Place is over for another year. We've been incredibly successful though, with numbers nearing 40 - 50 released butterflies, so I'm thrilled.

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Need a smile? You HAVE to watch this. I admit I watched it at first because it's Hodgins from "Bones", but what a fabulous FABULOUS video. It's a little long, but worth every minute.



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You Are Powerful

You have the determination and drive to get anything done. You won't be stopped. You know your strengths, and you play know how them up. You compensate nicely for your weaknesses. You are hardcore and tough. You don't give in to your weaknesses. People don't know at first glance how strong you are. You are always defying expectations.

A Seashell Test

Hmmm.... mostly, yep.

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Expecting a Hatching

If you were to open up a baby's head - and I am not for a moment suggesting that you should - you would find nothing but an enormous drool gland. ~Dave Barry

In Pillar Place: Monarch, Thomas -- the pupa I had to glue back into place a little over a week ago -- is showing black, so he's ready to hatch and I'm a nervous wreck. I swear, it's almost as bad as having one of my own!

In any case, I'm afraid he's not glued solidly enough to stay in place as he pulls out of the exterior case of the chrysalis, so I keep glancing over every few seconds. I hope he hatches soon, or I'm going to be a prisoner inside all day. Watching. Watching. Watching.

In gardening news, I finally had a large tomato ripening ... I've been watching it closely because YUM! Nothing tastes quite as good as a homegrown, vine-ripened tomato warm from the garden.

Yesterday? I went out to look and it was half eaten. Since there were tomato skin remnants encircling the nearby chipmunk hole, I'm pretty sure who the culprit was. Where's the feral cat when I need it?

Speaking of the cat, he must have heard rumors that I was planning to trap him and take him to the vet, because he hasn't been hanging out in my yard. He HAS been in my across the street neighbor's yard, driving her dog crazy, but not here. Darn it. I had PLANS.

Speaking of plans, we're finally going to make the rest of our homemade agility equipment this weekend. It's just been TOO hot to do anything much outside, but since it's cooled down we can. DD is thrilled. I'm sure Dakota will be, too.

DD is NOT so thrilled about the fact that I have everything for her to start school, however. This weekend, I'll be sitting down and going through things to set up her schedule. This year is seventh grade, so things are a bit different for both of us. The school classes are set up differently, and I have more work to do. So does she. I suspect we're both dreading it a little.

But, for now we still have a little time before we have to hunker down and get back to school, so we'll enjoy it while we can.

Have a great weekend!!

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You Are an Artist

Whether your creations are in your mind or on paper, you are definitely an arty person. You see the beauty in the world, and somehow the ugly parts are beautiful to you too. You have an intensity that's unmatched and unstoppable. You feel strongly about everything. You are driven to create. You are never content to just sit still.

The Ice Cream Cone Test

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

That's true. It's also true that I like chocolate. Just saying.

Speaking of chocolate, apparently this week's NOOK In Store coupon is for a small box of Godiva chocolates. So, go into your local Barnes & Noble, show your Nook at the cafe (or the checkout if yours doesn't have a cafe) and get a box of chocolates 9while supplies last). It was on the Nook Facebook page. I'm going today. *G*

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Drama in Pillar Place

Never say, "oops." Always say, "Ah, interesting." ~Author Unknown

Thanks for your input yesterday -- I'm going to write to Cigna and see what happens. I'm going to suggest that they toss in some flower seeds (I'll even provide them -- I have PILES of dead head/seeds from several butterfly friendly flowers) and become a certified Monarch Waystation. They'll have a cool sign they can post and be listed on the Monarch Watch website.

We had two more successful releases in Pillar Place: Monarch yesterday: 2 more boys. They were lovely. We've seen a few monarchs fluttering around the past few days. We wave. *G*

Also in Pillar Place, we had one small problem that will hopefully end up being no problem at all. One of our "J" pillars from yesterday, Thomas, had some issues shedding his skin and ended up falling off the roof of his box. I remember a couple years ago this happened, and I tried to glue the chrysalis to the roof, but the pupa died almost immediately -- probably from my handling.

This time, I've let the pupa lay on the floor of his box overnight. It hasn't turned black, so it's not dead, and the shell around him has hardened. I've read that they can be handled successfully (if you're careful) once the exterior is hard. So, today I'm going try to reattach him to the roof. I'm not sure how yet -- he doesn't have much of a "stem" so I don't know if I want to glue him because the glue will get onto the chrysalis.

Oh the drama. Now, with my luck, he'll hatch deformed and DD will want to keep him as a pet.

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It's hot here, in case anyone wondered. Really hot. I'm dying. My life for air conditioning ...

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You Are Charming

You are quite stylish and unique. You have a flair for living well. You have a bit of attitude, but you're definitely not stuck up. You know how to let loose and have fun. You are well liked and a total people person. You are almost always at ease in a crowd. You are a huge lover of life and all it has to offer. You're proud of who you are, but you never brag.

How Does Your Cookie Crumble?

About 25% correct...

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A (Not So Good) Day in the Life

Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

The vote was overwhelmingly for the picture with Dakota (maybe I should have let Dakota wear the shirt? *G*), so I'll be sending that to Lori today.

DD decided that I didn't have a good picture of Dakota as wallpaper on my phone, so took a bunch.



Pretty puppy.

We released four more butterflies yesterday, and have two more emerging today and then we're done for a little while. We had three pillars left and two made their "J" yesterday, so will be butterflies in about 10 - 14 days. After the last one does his thing (soon!), we'll be done for the summer.

In butterfly news, too, we were horrified to discover that Cigna (bad, bad Cigna) who owns the HUGE field of milkweed across from our library MOWED it yesterday. WHY? They couldn't wait until our first freeze? It's not as though they use it for anything. It just sits there and feeds monarchs and tussock moth babies. And those rotten humans destroyed the nursery. It was undoubtedly a mass Monarch-pillarcide (based on how many we found this year, there were probably upwards of a thousand, maybe more, in that field). I wish I knew how to get in touch with someone who would care... DD was almost in tears.

It was just not a very good day for DD. She also got stood up for her play date. She waited. And waited. Then cried. The people did finally call at around 7:45 -- they'd had a funeral to go to (not immediate family and the death was one they'd been expecting), but I'm thinking they probably knew about the funeral before yesterday afternoon. I had rearranged my entire day around that play date and both DD and I were frustrated, angry and sad.

But, HEY! It rained last night! A real rain ... just falling from the sky over a long period of time. Certainly not enough to do any real work at filling the empty ponds and rivers, but it watered.

Speaking of water -- it's mind-boggling: my flowers are dying, my grass is dying, my veggies are dying, but the weeds? THRIVING.

In any case, here's hoping today will be better.

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You Are a Geek

You definitely have some nerdy ways, but you've evolved into something way cooler - a geek. You are free spirited and quirky. You're proud of who you are, and you've got style. You may not fit in completely, but you don't have any problems socializing. You're witty, smart, and very knowledgable. You believe that everyone should embrace their inner geek!

Are You A Nerd or a Geek?

I embrace my inner geek daily...

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A Menagerie

In wilderness I sense the miracle of life, and behind it our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia. ~Charles A. Lindbergh, Life, 22 December 1967

Well... my mental health day turned into "let's clean the house from top to bottom" day AND "let's work on all the last minute changes to the LASR/WC/Aurora anniversary party" day.

Not a lot of down time.

Oh well.

Don't forget that you can enter to win one of THREE Nook eReaders this month at the aforementioned LASR/WC/Aurora Anniversary Party. It's easy to play and enter. Go for it! And these are the expensive, 3G Nooks -- which also come loaded with a whole pile of donated eBooks AND a $50 BN.com gift certificate. Woo!!

Now ... back to our regularly scheduled blog.

First, and without further ado, I'd like to wish my mom a very happy birthday!! I wish I was celebrating it with you ... but know that I'm there in spirit.

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In Pillar Place: Monarch, we had five releases yesterday and three on Saturday. There are butterflies popping out all over. In a bit of irony, yesterday's releases were all gendered exactly opposite of their names. We had:

Igor (female), Karl (female), Hermine (male), Earl (female) and Gaston (female). Saturday's releases were all male.

A few pix (are you tired of looking at butterflies yet?):




We also had some early morning visitors yesterday (I had to take the pix through my slider without opening, or I would have scared them all off):




Yep ... three mamas and five baby wild turkeys came through our yard on a walkabout.

DD also found a friend:




I think stick bugs are incredibly cool... one of my fave all time insects. Don't you think they're neat?

And, that's it from the local menagerie. Today should go back to normal (or what passes as normal for us!).

How was your weekend?

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You Are Logical

You tend to be rational to the point of driving other people crazy. You are all about the facts. You don't like to make a big deal out of anything. You take both good and bad news in stride. You believe that the simplest approach is often the best approach. Why complicate things? You know how to get down to business and figure out what needs to be done. You're good at processing information.

The Impossible Figure Test

That's mostly right! LOL...

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Miscellaneous This and That

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown

We released eight butterflies yesterday -- one was a bit of surprise. She cooked a little faster than expected, and hatched in her Gladware container. Thankfully, I went upstairs for an envelope last evening and found her, or she probably wouldn't have survived the night.

Releasing them all was a bit chaotic -- DD didn't get to handle them as much as usual, but they did seem attracted to her. Here are a few photos:







We had more females than males, which was a good thing, IMHO. One female can lay thousands of eggs -- lets repopulate the species!

There should be three emerging today (unless we get another surprise). Things are really moving now!

DD got a special request for book thongs at her DistinctivelyDD store as well, so I spent a significant amount of the day uploading a couple dozen new items (earrings, bracelets and book thongs) and still have another dozen or so to do.

One of my fave things was this bracelet:



I'm not sure why I like it so well, but I really do!

Didn't have a lot of time for much else, but today they're all gone boating, so I'm hoping to catch up. I should be able to visit with y'all today, too! First, though, Dakota has a play date with an agility friend at the local dog park shortly, so I have bid you adieu.

Have a great day!

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You Are Ambitious

You have your eye on the prize, and knowing you, it's probably a different prize every week. You have a laser focus when it comes to achieving your goals, and you stay on task. More than being a hard worker, you are a smart worker. You can always figure out a way to get what you want. You don't just climb up the ladder - you skip steps. You break every rule that you can.

What's True About You?

LOL.... that's mostly right :-)

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A Quick Note

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

This post will be short today... lots of stuff is going on with me, personally and in my family (nothing bad, just busy and mentally exhausting) and I'm feeling overwhelmed.

In Pillar Place: Monarch, we're expecting 5 - 6 butterflies to hatch today. I moved all the nearly ready to pop chrysalis' to The Box yesterday. Check it out:



We have them all named (ha -- not like they'll stay put after they hatch ... but we'll do what we can):



Yes, my very official butterfly box is an old Avon delivery box. See, anyone can raise butterflies. You don't have to have fancy stuff. I have votive holders, Gladware and old boxes. *G*

Have a good day!

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You Are French Fries

You are friendly and easygoing. People can't help but like you! You are always welcome wherever you go, and people crave you more than they'd like to admit. You are extremely fun loving. You try not to think about responsibilities whenever possible. You are rich in personality and spirit. You have a lot to offer, but you never let it go to your head.

Are You French Fries or Onion Rings?

Um... maybe some is right, but not so much.

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The Tussock Moth Pillar That Ate New Hampshire

We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics. ~Bill Vaughan

In Pillar Place: Monarch we released two more butterflies yesterday (both males -- see how thin the black lines on their wings are?). Meet....

Pi:



and Rho:


Omincron will most likely hatch today, and then we'll have a wait for the other mass of pillars-now-pupae that did their thing yesterday.

I was absolutely blown away by the sheer numbers of Milkweed Tussock Moth pillars we found yesterday, and had to take a picture. Unfortunately, I'm still only able to use my cell and it kept wanting to focus on the scene behind the pillars. Here's what I got.

Mass #1 -- these guys only just shed their "baby" skin (which is a pale yellow and not nearly as fuzzy) and are hanging on to the stripped milkweed leaves for dear life:




Here's another batch of slightly older ones we found under a leaf -- as they grow, they become more solitary:


And here is a batch of babies .... I wish you could see them better. I really need a new camera:



That's what we think our little orange eggs are going to turn into... good thing they're cute, or we'd be a little freaked out by the sheer numbers.

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You Are Complicated

You have many sides to your personality. You aren't exactly the easiest person to figure out. You are quirky and apt to contradict yourself. You are constantly evolving and changing. You have a unique take on life, and unlike most people, you're not too optimistic or pessimistic. You appreciate novelty and uniqueness. Most of your favorite things are acquired tastes.

The Smoothie Test

About 50/50 ....

Welcome Xi

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

In Pillar Place: Monarch, we hatched our first butterfly. Welcome Xi:



We released her (we can tell she's female because of the really dark black lines on her wings) around 4 pm yesterday, not realizing that a MASSIVE storm was headed our way. We had incredible high winds, lightning and some rain. The winds were unbelievable, though, so hopefully Xi found a nice, thick tree to hide in for the duration. We lost power for a few minutes, but apparently there are downed trees north of us and a few thousand folks are without power because of it.

I'm glad we got rain, but the wind I could have done without.

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We've been seeing the cat outside quite a bit -- several times yesterday. I'm actually giving some thought to "keeping" it. I've wanted an outdoor cat for the chipmunk/vole/squirrel problems we have (though it would mean not putting out the bird feeders again.

If I do decide to "keep" it, I'm going to trap it, get it fixed and vaccinated and then re-release it. Might set up a nice weather proof dog house and feed it now and then (not too much if I want it to catch critters). We'll see. I ran it by my DH and he didn't say no ... so...

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I'm still sick. Feeling dopey. Need to respond to comments from yesterday. I was hardly on the computer yesterday because I had a massive sinus headache. I even laid down for an hour, which is very unusual for me.

I hope I'm on the upside today. We'll see...

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You Are Trustworthy

Of all the types, you are the most responsible and loyal. You take your duties seriously. You thrive when you are able to do something practical and productive. You hate to waste your time. Some people say that you are a bit neurotic or cautious, but you believe it's better to be safe than sorry. You do your best to live a engaging and important life. You want what you do to matter.

The Scribble Circle Test

That's about 75%...

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Busy Day At Pillar Place

And the case of butterflies so rich it looks as if all summer settled there and died. ~ Philip Larkin, "Autumn"

First off, I have to say our "rain storm" was a bit of a bust. It poured all around us, especially south (lucky Boston), but we got little more than a dribble. There's a slight chance of some thunderstorms today, but for the most part there's not more rain in the forecast for nearly two weeks.

We're dying here. Literally.

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Pillar Place was pretty crazy yesterday.

In Pillar Place: Monarch -- we had THIRTEEN eggs hatch. Yes, you saw right: THIRTEEN. Things are going to be REALLY busy in a week or so, keeping up with the hungry pillars. We watched three of them actually hatch (all the while wishing for a magnifying glass). It's pretty amazing. Check out this video:



This photo (borrowed from this blog post on raising monarchs -- which has some incredible pictures, if you're interested) shows just how tiny the eggs are:




In other Monarch news, Xi is hanging from his roof in a "J" and should be making his chrysalis very soon. Our first baby is growing up! It was so fast. We found him as a little bitty pillar only ten days ago, and he's already becoming a butterfly. It's amazing how quickly they grow.

In Pillar Place: Swallowtail, we got a bit of a surprise last night! I went to check on Xi because he'd been on his roof, and I glanced at the swallowtail box and -- there were two butterflies inside! The pupae had never turned black, so it was completely unexpected, and they'd probably been there all day. It wasn't as though we could release them anyway, due to the general cool, overcast and damp day, but I felt a little bad about them being cooped up all day anyway.

So, that's the last of our swallowtails. And, incredibly, it's the first season we've EVER had without any casualties. No pillars dying, no butterflies hatching with disabilities. How wonderful!

So, hopefully it'll clear up and be sunny in a few hours so we can release these two. Do you suppose they'll send a postcard?

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One more day of DH's vacation and then we're back to normal here at the homestead. Actually, it's been remarkably calm and relatively stress-free for a change, so I haven't minded the disruption in routine.

We've gotten all of DD's curriculum in the mail, and are awaiting the delivery of the DVDs. She's agreed that we should start early, doing only a day or two a week in August, just to get back into the swing of things slowly.

She's taking a typing course this year, so that's exciting for her. She's always amazed at the fact I can type without looking at the keyboard, lol. I told her that I learned to type on a circa-1900s manual typewriter (remember that typewriter, Mom?) and in high school "upgraded" to an IBM Selectric. I remember days and days of learning how to type on carbon paper, and ... remember White Out? Ah.... the days of no computers. PCs weren't commonly available until I was a junior in high school, and even then it was ones like the Commodore 64 (with 64 megabytes of memory -- which was HUGE then). Ahhh... the memories.

So, my DD is in junior high this coming school year. Seventh grade. How did that happen??

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I've recently discovered that there are blog posts not showing up in my Google Reader. If I haven't visited you recently, that's probably what happened. I'm trying to go through my list on reader one-by-one to get to folks who've posted and I've missed, but it's remarkably time consuming. I haven't forgotten or ignored you. It's just a technology fail. Sorry!!

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You Should Move To a Better Neighborhood

You really don't have the personality for moving. You only move if you should. You tend to worry about what might go wrong, so moving should be a clear upgrade for you. You would might rest easier if you were in a safer part of town closer to more services. Consider upgrading neighborhoods or home if you can. A homebody like you should have nice home to live in.

Where Should You Move To?

HAHAHAHAHAHA.... neighborhoods don't get much safer than mine. This cracks me up. And I *love* moving. Love it. I get itchy if I don't move every few years (so, yeah, I'm REALLY itchy now).

It needs to say, "You should move out west so you can be closer to family and friends who matter, and so you wouldn't have to deal with Japanese beetles and deer flies any longer."

Why doesn't it say that?

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Watching a Miracle

I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, nature is company enough for me. ~William Hazlitt

Yesterday, when I went out to bring in my clothes from the line I saw my first live monarch butterfly. I hollered for DD and she came tearing out. I said, "I think it's a female... look how dark her lines are."

And then came the most amazing thing: she started laying eggs. I swear, seeing nature up close and personal feels like witnessing a miracle. We held very still and watched as she fluttered around, selecting just the right leaf (she only chose the healthiest milkweed -- one side of mine is in the direct sun and isn't doing as well, but one side is in almost complete shade and is near the faucet so stays pretty damp and cool and is thriving. She fluttered around the unhealthy milkweed, but always came back to the good plants) and then she'd land, curl her little butt around and ... POP... out came a tiny egg.

Here's a YouTube video I found showing a backyard butterfly doing just that:



In any case, we gathered most of her eggs after she was done (she got chased off by a Fritillary -- who knew they were territorial? I hope she'll be back). It was a little dicey collecting the eggs because our milkweed blooms are absolutely covered with bumblebees (it sounds like a distant motor outside with all the buzzing), but we pulled in nine. I'll check again today.

So, along with Xi, Pi, Omicron and Rho (all of whom are growing like weeds) we now have: Sigma, Tao, Upsilon, Phi, Chi, Psi, Omega, Alex and Bonnie (who share a leaf). We ran out of Greek Alphabet letters and have moved on to the 2010 Hurricane names *G*.

Another swallowtail has hatched this morning -- we've lost track of who is who, so ... we'll let her remain nameless. Only two left, but I'm all but positive one is going to overwinter. Her pupa is a completely different size and color than the others. We'll see (I really hope not).

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No rain yesterday. There's a 15% chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, so we'll see... really, our best chance comes on Saturday with a 50% of rain off and on all day. Then it clears up again, so I really, really hope it pours on Saturday.

So far, my garden isn't dying (I do admit to cheating and watering my spinach and swiss chard that's in pots). :::fingers crossed:::

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You Are Cheerful

You are a friendly and welcoming person. You know how to make the best of a bad situation. You tend to think most about yourself. You can't help but look inward and introspect. You are open minded and tolerant. You believe strongly that people should be allowed to do their thing. You have the most fun when things are simple. You don't like making a big fuss out of anything.

The Surreal Test

About half and half, I guess...

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This and That

What do you suppose?
A bee sat on my nose.
Then what do you think?
He gave me a wink
And said, "I beg your pardon,
I thought you were the garden."
~English Rhyme

Feeling better today. I think I was just flat out exhausted yesterday. Thankfully, no more dizziness today.. that's the worst!

Things at Pillar Place: Swallowtail are still quiet, but that should change very soon.

In Pillar Place: Monarch -- Xi is eating like a pig, and Rho and Pi both hatched yesterday. They're nearly microscopic and difficult to see. When they first hatch, they're opaque in color and blend (a good move for their safety, but makes it hard for me!).

I found some great videos about the hatching and their growth. If you're interested, they're here embedding is disabled):

Monarch Egg Hatching (0:43)

Monarch Caterpillar's growth (2:20)

Monarch turns into a chrysalis (1:23)

Monarch transformation into a butterfly (0:52)

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Was serenaded yesterday evening by the sounds of fireworks (the people had a particular fondness for bombs that were loud enough to shake my house) and dirt bikes. It was such a joy.

I imagine tonight will be even more noisy.

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Your Style is Natural

You prefer things that aren't overly fussy or ornate. For you, simple is best. If possible, you like a more natural look - or at least a look that was inspired by nature. You are turned off by wild colors and too much flair. You don't think style needs to be complicated. You know that less is often more. You strive to live a simpler life than most.

What's Your Personal Style?

That's about right.