It was a downpour at high noon. It was raining so hard that I needed to pull my car into a parking lot to wait out the gale, glad I had brought a book along.
I always bring a book with me. Who knows when you’ll be stuck in the car in a downpour, a snowstorm, waiting for two freight trains to pass, picking up someone who is delayed? One must always have a back-up plan. Mine is a book – and a chocolate bar.
I digress. Again.
Home again, I put this and that away, checked phone messages and then went out to check our little acreage. The downside of so many tall grasses and prairie plants is that they can look mighty forlorn after a storm. To survive, they must be able to bend in a heavy wind or hard rain. Lessons we learn from plants, are they not? We all need to bend at times, lest we break.
I tossed some vegetable peelings and a wilted bouquet of flowers into the half-hazaard compost pile, set the bowl down and went to straighten some grasses. Just as I reached out to pull a mass of sagging stems, something caught my eye. It was hanging by a thread. It was something I’ve been waiting for all summer long.
A Monarch butterfly chrysalis.
Today?
Still raining, still hanging by a thread – and I am still monitoring my Monarch.
Cool!!!
LikeLike
Thanks, Jan.
LikeLike
Oh I hOpe that thread does not break … Fingers crossed for a monarch soon! You are right about learning from Mother Nature. However, It does seem there are an awful lot of people lately who can’t bend (and as far as I’m concerned, aren’t breaking fast enough, but that’s just me, who overdosed on the news yesterday).
Hope your rains don’t cause further damage. I never go anywhere without my little Kindle , but I think I should definitely add a chocolate bar to my emergency kit!
LikeLike
Me, too, Sallie. Still hanging on when I lost looked.
Too much news can do that, Sallie – and does make one wonder.
I wish we could send some of this rain to the west coast. Temps are in the 50’s tonight, which makes for nice sleeping weather, and everything is so very green. Soon, we will have the colors of fall.
That little Kindle keeps you company, doesn’t it, and even better. If you don’t like one book, you can go on to the next. Chocolate works – accept when the temps hit 80. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Sallie.
LikeLike
Did you by chance note when you first found the chrysalis? I just looked for a time frame until you get a butterfly — 28 to 38 days according to this source: http://www.butterflybushes.com/monarch_metamorphosis.htm That may make it strictly a matter of chance for you to be there for the unveiling, but I hope your patience thus far will be rewarded and you’ll see your Monarch before it flies away.
I guess I need to form the habit of taking my current read or my Nook whenever I leave home. I could have used one or the other a few days ago when I ran out of steam at an auction (outside with no place to sit and 88 degrees!) and had to get off my feet and rest a bit (in the truck) while my sis and brother-in-law were still patiently awaiting the auctioneer’s progression to the final items they wanted to bid for. I had just started a new book and mentally kicked myself, big time, for not having tucked it into my bag when I left home. Sometimes we are too late smart. 🙂
LikeLike
I did take note, Karen, which will help me mark time.
Thanks for this link. It is better than the ones I was finding. I’ve bookmarked for quick reference.
I think the 28-38 days has to do with the complete cycle from egg to butterfly. Further down, at the chrysalis, it says “In just 9 to 14 days the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly is complete”. It will still be a matter of chance, however, as I don’t know exactly when the cocoon was spun. I can see the color has changed, so, I’m thinking about 4 days ago, but ???? It would be a rare gift to see it emerge. Stay tuned . . . I’ll keep checking.
Taking a book has been a habit of mine for decades. I do leave a small volume of short stories or an easy read in the car, just in case I forget my current read. 🙂 I’m so sorry you didn’t have that new read with you. “too late smart” is surely me.
LikeLike
Oh how lovely! So glad you’re documenting this, Penny. Hoping you’ll see the little guy soon. 🙂
LikeLike
I am, too, L. Marie. I was thrilled to come across it, equaling with glee. My neighbors surely wonder about me. 🙂 Stay warm and dry.
LikeLike
What a great idea to entertain yourself while waiting. Would you please send some of that rain to us! Have a nice weekend.
LikeLike
I wish I could send some of it to you, Gerlinde. I know how much the west coast needs rain.
I’m easily entertained. 🙂 I am hoping to catch it emerging, but, know it is unlikely. We will see. Thanks for commenting.
LikeLike
What a wonderful discovery, Penny! It’s so exciting that your garden has become a home for beautiful monarchs! I hope, hope hope that you will be there when it emerges! ♡
LikeLike
Penny, I just sent you an email. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Got it and replied.
LikeLike
I hope I get to see it emerging, too, Dawn. Not likely, but, a gal can always hope. I was an exciting moment for me, for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh how exciting! I’m so thrilled for you, and thrilled for the monarch to “attach” in such a hospitable garden, albeit today a wet one! I was not as fortunate with my milkweed, but I will say that monarchs definitely spent a lot of time in my garden and we enjoyed watching them take advantage of the milkweed as nourishment, I believe. I’m told that I must now cut mine back in order for the monarch to move on his migratory path. It’s going to be hard for me to cut it back since I was so hoping we’d have our own little chrysalis! 🙂 I do hope you get to see this through to the end of the cycle. isn’t this just grand, Penny! 🙂
LikeLike
It was such an unexpected thrill, Debra. I did not anticipate seeing a chrysalis there. I’m thinking that if you’ve seen quite a few monarchs, you just might have some eggs or caterpillars. I was very surprised to find some of mine twisted into the flowers of the milkweed or on the underside. One clue that there might be a caterpillar is if you see a small hole on the leaves.
Grand, indeed – and I just love that you and I, with a great many miles between us, are such loyal subjects to a Monarch. 🙂
LikeLike
What a little jewel to discover amidst the grasses. Oh what joy! I’m in bed with a sore throat and your post has cheered me up, reminding me of beautiful amidst bedragglement. Thank you Penny.
LikeLike
It was, and still is, quite a jewel, Juliet. I check on it several times a day and have noticed it changing into a deeper green and can barely see the shadow of a wing inside. I doubt that I will be fortunate enough to see it emerge, but, it is such a delight, a joy, t to have found this.
I’m so sorry to learn you are ailing with a sore throat and in bed. Rest up, Juliet, and here is hoping your bedragglement abates soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know I commented on face book, but I need you to know how excited I am about this ! Actually, I think you know. Looking forward to the next installment. Jx
LikeLike
I love hearing from you in both spots, Janice. 🙂 I do understand and know you are excited and I do have some news that I’ll be posting very soon. Just need to do some downloading . . .
LikeLike
I do like your nature writing and pictures. Let’s hope the chrysalis makes it.
LikeLike
Nice to see you, Nicola. Thank you. This is nice to hear – and I will have something to tell very soon.
LikeLike
I’m so glad you saw this monarch chrysalis before grabbing the grass it is hanging from! It looks so vulnerable!
LikeLike
So was I. Those threads they hang on from are pretty tight, but, I could have squeezed it or who knows what else. It was so exciting to find it as I did.
LikeLike