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.



================

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!!

======================

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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Summer, She is Coming to an End

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

Signs that summer is nearly over:

It was DARK when I got up this morning...

Yesterday I peeled, chopped, steamed, smashed and froze five butternut squash. My SIL said I should just store them like the pioneers did, whole and down in my basement, but I HATE processing them so just want to get it over with.

I cut back most of my perennials because they're done blooming and look ugly now. Plus, some of them have a tendency to reproduce like CRAZY if I don't dead head them immediately (the coneflower, black-eyed susans, columbine and bachelor buttons are the worst, but they're all pretty bad).

My tomatoes are beginning to ripen. It's mostly the cherry tomatoes right now, but a few of my larger ones are beginning to blush (either that or they're embarrassed).

Back to school sales (office supplies, how I love you).

The nights are getting cool and crisp (except for last night, which stayed quite warm).

We only have four more monarch pillars, and they are all pupae (so far, the one I glued to the roof is still green, leading me to believe he's still alive -- but only when he hatches and is NOT deformed will I truly breath a sigh of relief).

*sigh*

The summer flew by. It's just not right considering how slowly the winter drags.

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You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything. You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life. You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you. Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace. You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life. Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you. You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others. You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperament Are You?

This is only about 25% correct.

==============================

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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.

========================

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.

=======================

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...

===============

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.

====================

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...

=========================

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!

====================

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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Cleaning, Pillars and Win a Book!

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. ~Charles W. Eliot

Read on to find out how to win a hardback book...

The weather has been quite nice out here lately -- still warm but far less humid and bearable. Unfortunately, now Dakota is a bit under the weather (on our first walk of the day yesterday, she plodded sedately at my side the entire way. Dakota is seldom sedate), so we haven't enjoyed it as much as we might have.

I have done quite a bit of weeding, so that's something. And, yes, I actually enjoy weeding. It really makes me feel like I've accomplished something. I can look at the results and feel good about it.

Speaking of which, I've been watching the show "Hoarding: Buried Alive" which is a bit like a car accident that you can't look away from. But, every time I watch a show, it inspires me to clean and purge my stuff. This week, I gave DD (who has shows a frightening tendency to be a hoarder -- she attaches memories and emotion to everything she owns, including trash. She had used tissue paper crumpled up and stuffed away in a drawer that she didn't want to throw away because it came from a gift "Grandma gave me.". I want to get her a new comforter for her bed. The one she has is eight years old, torn and has some stains. "I love this comforter, I don't want a new one, I'll feel awful if you get rid of it." Oy.) ... so I gave her a paper grocery bag, sent her to her room and told her not to come out until it was full of stuff to give away or throw away.

Then I did the same thing. To look at our house, you wouldn't think we have that much stuff to get rid of. My house is pretty well clean and uncluttered (my DH is a neat freak -- I fall somewhere between DH and DD, lol). Still, I found plenty to fill my bag.

We went to Goodwill yesterday and donated four bags of stuff and DD's old bike (that was amazingly painful for her, but she managed), and then a bag of books to the library. It felt WONDERFUL.

I'm also purging my own bookshelf, and thought I'd offer some to you folks if you're interested. I'll give away at least a book a week (sometimes more depending on what I find) and I'm only giving away books that are new or like new.

So ... today I'm offering a hardback copy of "Kiss Me While I Sleep" by Linda Howard.

Here's the blurb:

Efficient and unapologetic, Lily Mansfield is a hired assassin working as a contract agent for the CIA. Her targets are the powerful and corrupt, those who can't be touched by the law. Now Lily is playing a deadly, unauthorized game, seeking her own vengeance, compromising her superiors and endangering her life. Fellow CIA agent Lucas Swain's orders: either bring her in or bring her down. Yet he too is drawn into the game with Lily Mansfield, dancing on a tightrope, trying to avoid a major international incident while battling a tenacious foe dogging their every step. Vigilantly watching her back, Lily doesn't see the lethal peril directly in her path . . . or that loyalty has a price.

If you want this book, just leave me a comment -- you can say other stuff too, but mention that you'd like to throw your name into the hat. I'll draw a winner Sunday and announce it on Monday.

Good luck!

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In Pillar Place: Monarch, Omicron hatched. Another boy, apparently shy because I had a terrible time getting a picture, and I never did get a really good one:




We have well over a dozen pillars who have started cooking in their chrysalis', and another many who are still eating like pigs. Yesterday, I found yet another egg (unbelievable!), so we're up to "V" in the hurricanes (we named the one before Ulysses, because they don't have a U hurricane name, and the last egg is Virginia, because their name -- Virginie -- was too weird).

I imagine things will be fairly quite over the next week or so, but they we're going to be buried in butterflies (there are worse things *G*).

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You Are Alive and Energetic

You are most comfortable when you are mixing things up a little bit. You like novelty in small doses. You are drawn to harmony and compassion. You value commonalities over differences. You have a deep and interesting inner world. Your thoughts are vivid and interesting. You believe that if you look closely enough at people, you can appreciate them more... flaws and all.

The Ocean Test

About 75%...

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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 ....

Piffles and Pillars

Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well. ~Marcus Valerius Martial

Thankfully, I seemed to have turned the corner with my cold and feel almost human this morning. Yesterday I felt *okay* cold-wise, but was completely exhausted to the point I ended up taking a nap (something I almost never do). I'm truly grateful that, for the most part, I'm quite healthy and when I do get sick it cycles through quickly (I felt the first hints of this cold on Saturday, and I'm already pretty much done). Still, I wish I didn't get sick at all. It's really a pain.

The worst part about being sick THIS week is that it's been pretty nice out. It's still quite warm, but the humidity has gone down so I would have been able to get outside. I was hoping to go play tennis with my DD, do some weeding (dear heavens... the weeds are taking over), maybe some nice long walks. None of that has happened.

Maybe today.

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In Pillar Place: Monarch, we should be seeing two more butterflies today. Pi and Rho are both getting dark. Last night they were gray, and I'm sure this morning they'll be black. So, YAY.

As of last night, we had TWELVE pillars on the roofs of their containers, apparently ready to make their pupae, and two more that were acting like it was about time. In ten days or so, we should have a mass monarch hatching!

We've also found three more eggs (I swear, we aren't even looking ... they things are practically jumping out at us) and we've also accidentally picked leaves with *other* eggs on them. Since I felt rotten about doing that, we're hatching the eggs inside and the putting whatever comes out of them back outside.

So far, one set of eggs hatched. They were some weird looking bug that gave me the shivers. I swear they looked a little like miniature scorpions, only they had six legs, not eight. :::shudders:::

Those babies went outside ASAP. Blech.

The next set of eggs are these lovely orange ones all massed together. I'm fairly sure they're milkweed tussock moth eggs, but I could be wrong. We have TONS of those critters outside our house, to the point I almost can't harvest from my own milkweed for the monarchs and have taken to stealing from other patches that aren't covered in critters.

I'm quite glad that the larger pillars are making their pupae, because for the last day or two they've each eaten 3 - 4 large milkweed leaves a day. 4 x 14 pillars = a whole lot of work for me.

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You Are Rock-Paper-Scissors

You are very smart and mentally inclined person. You like games that test your brainpower. You are good at noticing patterns and making predictions. You can size other people up well. It may not seem like there's a lot to what you do, but you have a strategy for everything. You tend to think through every decision you make carefully, but you're also sure not to over think anything.

What Childhood Game Are You?

That's about 95% correct. Weird.

====================

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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Nothing To See Here ....

Give a man a fish and he has food for a day; teach him how to fish and you can get rid of him for the entire weekend. ~Zenna Scha

Nothing new here. It's hot, we have pillars (found yet another new one yesterday ... sheesh. We named him Quentin, since the hurricanes don't have a "Q" name.), my garden loves the weather (even though I don't), I'm already giving cucumbers away (we eat 1 - 2 a day and are harvesting twice that).

I did spray and dress my squash yesterday. I also squished a squash borer moth, little bugger. Hopefully I put the nylons on my squash in time, but I plan to saturate the socks with that poison regularly, so if eggs DO hatch underneath, the worms should die before they can do damage.

I actually harvested three squash -- but I can't have too much squash. Unlike cucumbers, I can freeze squash. You can only eat so many pickles.

In any case, that's all for now. A boring weekend (no, I'm not complaining... there's nothing wrong with boring!) and not a lot to say.

Have a great weekend!

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You Are an Intense Person

You are thoughtful and responsible. It's rare that you find yourself in a bind. You are naturally low energy. You have to nurture yourself in order to cultivate endurance. When you get tired, you slow down at first... but then you usually get a second wind. You are happiest when you reflect on what you have to be thankful for in your life. Happiness is a choice.

The Mountain Test

Mostly right :-)

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A Really Good Book

A man ought to read just as inclination leads him, for what he reads as a task will do him little good. ~ Samuel Johnson

Thanks to all for your comments on books yesterday -- I'm actually reading one of the best books I've picked up lately. Mary mentioned it in her comments, and I'd just picked it up from Carina Press a few days back because it sounded like a hoot. It's "Exclusively Yours" by Shannon Stacey, and the author has an absolutely fabulous voice (especially if you're a fan of romantic comedy -- this book isn't "comedy" per se, but it doesn't exactly take itself seriously, either). I'm only about 60 pages in, but I read until I couldn't keep my eyes open last night and then laid there and thought about the thing, and can't wait to open it up and read some more. Provided something awful doesn't happen, this will end up being one of my favorite books of the year so far.

Thank heavens. It was such a breath of fresh air after the last two that I read.

So, THANK YOU Shannon Stacey. I owe you, big time.

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Hey ... if you didn't notice, I've been responding to your comments IN the comments section. I'm trying to be better about doing that, and am getting over twice a day to do so. Because, yanno, I appreciate you all swinging by and saying "howdy". I'm also almost caught up with visiting the folks I was behind on (I missed you!). I wish I had hours a day to blog hop. I really do enjoy it.

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So, yesterday I went to the dollar store for pantyhose to wrap the stems of my squash plants. They didn't have any, so I bought these incredibly chincy trouser socks in a gawd-awful shade of puce that are pretty much the same texture. This morning, I'm going to spray the pogees out of each stem with my poison -- in case there are already eggs there (so when they hatch, when they start eating they should die) and then wrap the stems in the socks. I'll have the best dressed squash on the street. With any luck, I won't lose my squash plants this year. :::fingers crossed:::

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In Pillar Place: Monarch, I found two more butterbabies yesterday while harvesting food for the OTHER twenty-five. Cuz, yanno, I needed more to tend to. One of them did a Kamikaze leap from his leaf (monarch pillars do this for protection -- but they attach a web first). I saw him dangling there, in mid-air, so nabbed him. Another was on the back of a leaf ... he's not looking too healthy, so I'm not sure he's going to survive.

We also have HUGE numbers of Tussock Moth caterpillars. They hang out together for the first few days and utterly decimate milkweed leaves. Once they're a bit bigger, they move out on their own, and are just the prettiest looking things. I know I've posted pictures of them before, but I can't stand it... don't you just want to pet them? (And, yes, I actually DO pet them when I find them. They don't seem to mind).



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You Are Shampoo

When a problem comes your way, you jump at the opportunity to solve it. You're especially good at "cleaning house" and making sure a tight ship is being run. You find it easy to let go of the past and move on with your life. You're a big believer in fresh starts. You don't leave a lot of room for junk in your life. If something doesn't suit you, you're eager to toss it to the curb.

Are You Shampoo or Conditioner?

Um... yeah. That's about 85% right. I'm not so good at letting go of the past, but the rest? Right on! LOL...

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Frustrated...

Of all the diversions of life, there is none so proper to fill up its empty spaces as the reading of useful and entertaining authors. ~ Joseph Addison

Twice in two days I've started reading books that I ended up putting down after just a chapter or two. While it's a shame these books didn't have better editors -- editors who would tell the authors what NOT to do and help them fix it (because I think both stories had potential) -- reading poorly constructed books really helps me write my own stuff. It's always easier to see errors in other books.

The first book was chock full of telling. I remember when I first started writing, I didn't understand what people meant when they'd say, "SHOW, don't TELL". I had to have it spelled out for me (very slowly and using one syllable words). Now, though? When I come across it, especially when it's as blatant as this book (which surprised me, honestly, because the publisher usually sends out good stuff), it drives me wonky.

In this case, we'd see something like the H/H having dinner. Sexual tension sparks are flying back and forth despite their distrust of each other -- all nicely written and SHOWN. And then, in case we're too stupid to get that, the author would write something like, "Martha was terribly attracted to Jed, but simply couldn't trust him because of his job."

If this had only happened now and then, I probably could have overlooked it. But it was constant and I finally couldn't stand being hit over the head with the obvious any more. Book was closed and deleted from my Nook.

The second book, a romantic suspense novel, had great potential The author is clearly talented with wordsmithing, which is the only thing that kept me reading past chapter two.

In chapter one, we start with a bang. It's interesting and exciting as a good suspense should be. It introduces the Big Evil -- in this case a wacko stalker -- and it all takes place in the dark which really made it even scarier.

Then came chapter two. This one? A day in the life. La-de-da. She did this, she did that, got a Christmas tree, put it up, decorated while listening to music. The next chapter? Her friend shows up for Christmas. They have a snowball fight. The go out for dinner. ... ...

:::bangs head on keyboard:::

I kept waiting for something to happen. Oh, the heroine would occasionally think she saw something in the shadows, but that would take one line and then be gone and we'd return to a moment by moment run down of her very average day.

Broke my heart, because I really wanted to like this book.

IMHO, in a suspense book you need to keep the tension high. Maybe you don't have to have it front and center on every page, but it needs to be just behind everything, poking now and then, rearing its ugly head and keeping you waiting for the bogeyman to leap out of the shadows.

So, this book was closed and deleted from my Nook.

Why has a book disappointed you recently? And, any good newly released romances you can recommend for my reading drought?

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All is quiet in Pillar Place: Monarch. Well, actually, it's pretty noisy -- they're LOUD when they eat! -- but not much is happening except eating, pooping, and growing. Just like human babies. *G*

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You Are Brilliant

You see patterns and meaning where other people see nothing. You have an amazing mind. You are often the smartest person in the room, but you don't let it go to your head. You are quite humble. You like to think, analyze, and challenge. For you, there's nothing more boring than people not open to ideas. You are always changing your beliefs and theories. Your brain is extremely flexible.

The Sand and Surf Test

Hmmmm... That's about 60% right. At least that's the number my amazing mind came up with. *G*

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Random Thoughts from a Random Mind

I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself. ~Marlene Dietrich

It's raining! Color me happy, happy, happy. It's supposed to rain on and off all day long. I'm so thrilled. :::happy dancing:::

I've been watching the female crab spider we have outside. At first, I thought she was hiding underneath the milkweed leaf to hunt (they don't spin webs, exactly, they wait for an insect to get near and then - WHAM! - they nab it). She's there every day, legs outstretched just looking like she's ready to grab something. But I finally looked closer and realized ... she's guarding her egg sac. The tip of the milkweed leaf is folded over and then sealed with webbing, and she backs up onto it and guards it. The sad thing is that she'll die before her babies are born. I was worried about her eggs over the winter (I'm feeling very "Wilbur-ish"), since the milkweed dies down, but I discovered that they hatch in summer (which means I won't have her to watch much longer) and grow to be about 5mm, then overwinter in the ground as spiders. I hope I get some again next summer. They're fascinating.

Yesterday, while walking Dakota, we encountered the Schnauzer at the end of the street again. I don't think I mentioned our last encounter with him a week or so ago, but it was ... interesting. He came charging out, barking and posturing as always, and I had Dakota on a short leash behind me (because he attacks her) and was slowly backing him into his driveway like I do when -- BAM! -- Dakota slipped between my legs and attacked! I guess she'd just had enough of him and gave this low-throated bark-bark-bark and lunged. He lunged and we had an old-fashioned dog fight on our hands. Thankfully, all it took was me yelling at them to knock it off, but it was a little dicey since my dog's leash was wrapped around one leg (why she had to got THROUGH my legs, I have no idea).

In any case, when we saw him yesterday, he was about 100 yds away and started barking. I refuse to be forced to not walk anywhere on my street, so I put Dakota on a short leash (and warned her very sternly to be good this time) and walked around the circle. That's when the most incredible thing happened -- when we got about 75 feet away he shut up. And at about 50 feet he slowly retreated into his driveway, watched us walk past with nary a yip, and let us pass completely unmolested. He's always been afraid/cautious of me, and won't challenge me, but I guess Dakota putting him in his place finally showed him that we weren't to be messed with.

I told DD -- that's the perfect example of a bully. He picked on Dakota as long as she was weak. But the moment she showed her strength, he backed down. Fascinating.

I've picked five nice, long cucumbers from my garden (I grow the burpless kind that are long and skinny, with few seeds) and have about a dozen more that will be ready in a week or so. My squash is growing like crazy ... BUT... I saw another squash borer moth yesterday, so don't expect it to live much longer. I've been spraying the base of it with an organic pesticide that will kill the worms if they ingest it and it doesn't affect beneficial bugs like ladybugs (though it will kill bees, so I've been careful not to spray the flowers and pulled all the blossoms from the base of the plant). I don't know if it will work or not, but I'm doing the best I can. These stupid borers are the only bugs I can't "pick" and it frustrates me to feel so helpless.

In Pillar Place: Monarch, all the pillars are growing like weeds. It's truly amazing how quickly they grow! While getting food for them yesterday (had to pick TEN milkweed leaves), I found two more teeny, newly hatched pillars, so we have a new Upsilon and a Matthew. 25 monarch caterpillars. I'm a little afraid to look for them at the library ... but we have to go there today to drop off/pick up books and it's become a bit of a compulsion to at least glance at the milkweed.

We have four pupae thus far: Xi, Rho, Pi and Omicron. They take 10 - 14 days to emerge, and Xi became a pupa on the 11th ... so earliest will be the 21st. I can't wait.

I'm so thrilled it's cooled off outside.. and there's a break in the rain for an hour or so, so I think I'm going to take a walk! YAY!

Have a great day.

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You Are Mild

You get as many thrills as wild people do, however your thrills tend to be more of the laid back variety. You believe that the deeper you get into something, the more you enjoy it. And you need calm to do that. You are one of the least superficial people around. You have intense and passionate interests. You don't get bored easily. How could you? There is so much to learn about and think about!

Are You Wild or Mild?

Yep ... that's quite true.

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Busy Monday

All our knowledge merely helps us to die a more painful death than animals that know nothing. ~Maurice Maeterlinck

So, yesterday was Monday (yay!) and things sort of got back to normal. Since DD doesn't have school, and it's SO hot outside, I need to find things (besides watching TV) to keep her busy. Yesterday she did some scrapbooking, so that was good. Today, I'm encouraging her to make more items for DistinctivelyDD (I posted some new stuff last week, but we really need to build up the numbers again).

In Pillar Place: Monarch, Rho, Pi and Omicron are now pupae. Monarch chrysalis' have to be the most beautiful things, with the shiny gold accents and smooth green exterior. Amazing, don't you think?


Sadly, we had our first casualty of the year. Every morning I open all the containers, do a poop dump and see if they are alive and if they need food. Yesterday, I found Upsilon, brown and hard, on his leaf. So...RIP Upsilon. Monarch pillars have an odd tendency to die for no apparent reason, so this doesn't surprise me, but it did make me sad. I was really hoping for 100% survival this year.

But then, I also almost did one in myself! DD had taken it upon herself to moisten the floral foam, but she did it TOO much and there were puddles on the bottoms of the containers, which is very bad for a couple reasons. One, these pillars are sill nearly microscopic (maybe 1/8" long and thin as a straight pin) and would drown in a drop of water. Two, because it's so warm, when the containers are closed they would act as a greenhouse and have condensation all over -- which could rot the little pillars.

So, we were pulling out the leaves, one by one, and using a paper towel to dry out the containers. I'd have DD hold the leaf while I dried and on one, Gaston's, when she handed it back to me, I accidentally brushed where the pillar was!! I looked at the side of my hand, now covered in tiny pillar poop (it looked like someone had peppered my hand) -- no pillar. Looked at the leaf -- no pillar!! Looked at the table -- no pillar. But I was holding it up near the edge, so DD started looking on the floor. For a tiny, opaque pillar with a little black head.

Shockingly, she found him. Now, we had to figure out how to pick him up because he's too small to use fingers, to fragile to use anything hard (like tweezers). I finally settled on using a small, soft cosmetics brush to "sweep" him back onto his leaf. It seemed to work, and he was crawling around last I looked (last night), but this morning when I check, we'll see if he was hurt more than he appeared.

There's endless adventure in Pillar Place!

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It rained yesterday! Okay, only for about ten minutes, but it dumped the whole time. Still, when I went out about an hour later to check the mail, I looked at the garden around my mailbox, and it was dust dry with all the flowers wilted! I filled up a small jug and carefully poured water on the most delicate of the flowers there. Mostly there is seedum and portulaca, which is pretty drought resistant, but I also have clematis and petunias, which are not.

We're expecting more significant rain on Wednesday. I really, really hope they're right.

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I was utterly swamped over in LASR/WC/Aurora yesterday, and didn't get to visit blogs. I'm missing everyone!! I'm scheduling blog-hopping time today, dang it, and will swing by soon. No writing yesterday either. It was all work, all the time.

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You are a Rubik's Cube

You are engaging and popular. People are drawn to your colorful personality. As much as they try, people can't stay away from you. And while you seem easy to understand, people can't figure out what direction you're coming from.

What Kind of Puzzle Are You?

Oh yeah, that's me -- Miss Popularity.

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