Walking Continues

Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars  if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies. ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince I've watched the caterpillars all through the summer. They ate the dill twice and finally killed it. Then they moved to the parsley. The caterpillars would disappear and I'd never find a chrysalis.  Did the birds get them, I wondered.  And today I got an answer. I'd been picking tomatoes and glanced over to the parsley. Something dark seemed to be hiding deep in the plant. I wondered if the robber fly from yesterday evening was hiding in the cool. And when I looked closer I found a Black S wallowtail newly emerged from its chrysalis. Note the still curled wings. The wings were not fully expanded and I stopped to watch part of the process. The wings started filling out more. [And note the caterpillar just to the left.] The butterfly continued the process, but also was walking all around the parsley. I wondered if I ...

  Principle Number 1 of the 7 Leave No Trace Principles  - Plan Ahead and Prepare* What's that expression I use all the time? "Do as I say, not as I do."  I often joke about it, but this day was no joke. I even TEACH the Leave No Trace Principles every time I teach a class. Somehow I messed up, got complacent, whatever.  Spoiler alert: This story has a happy ending and is a reminder of why we drill children (and adults) on safety. Apparently you can make a mistake and sometimes recover if you start making better choices. Here are a few of those rules: Plan ahead. Travel in pairs. Hydrate and bring more water than you think you will need (and drink regularly). Make sure someone knows where you are hiking. STAY TOGETHER. When you are lost (we were never lost) stop and let rescuers come to you. Here's the tale: A friend and I decided to start hiking in the state parks in our area. Some would be a repeat and others would be hiked for the first time. We were doing this i...

This Bewick's Wren sang to me yesterday showing me where the pair had decided to nest this year. It sang again this morning as I finished my work. One misty moisty morning when cloudy was the weather I met with an old man a-clothed all in leather He was clothed all in leather with a cap beneath his chin Singing how do you do and how do you do and how do you do again. ~ Steeleye Span I set aside this morning to try and get the garden clean-up finished. It's been damp - a fine mist since early this morning. Grabbing a fleece vest and sheers I decided to work until I needed to stop (too wet/too cold/too sore/ too tired whatever).  This is spring break. It's only 10 days since my last post and a bit shocking how much needs to be done - still. I have removed 9 contractors trash bags full of clippings from the garden and off to a friend's old quarry.* I've planted a great deal of the vegetable garden (and replanted a little**). The little sprouts popping up all over about...