The Monarchs are here!

I love this time of year. We have butterflies just about all year round, but none seem as friendly and as accesible as the beautiful Monarchs. We're lucky because they winter here in Florida, so we get the chance to watch them, from egg to adult. Over the last week, they've decimated my milkweek and, just today, I noticed that all but a few have vanished. They're off to build their chrysalis'. It won't be long now!

Here's a shot of one of the big, velvety caterpillars.

Speaking of cocoons, does anyone know what creature this one belongs to? I found it in the yard and it's incredibly cool looking. Almost like a little fairy house. It probably has some enormous, disgusting creature in it. Ewe!


Oh, I also went on the "Mud Walk" with my daughter's class. Apparently, it's a 5th grade field trip tradition around here and the kids look forward to it for years. I, not being from around here, was not aware of exactly what it entailed.

Well, now I know.

Basically, you hike a mile or so out into the hammock and then proceed to hike some more miles (probably only 1 mile, but it definitely felt plural) through the flooded low lands. I'm not kidding you, that mud and water was almost waist deep in some places. And the smell! It smelled like a cow farm.

Seriously.

And the water is all murky and brown and you're in the middle of nowhere and you know there are alligators and water mocassins out there...somewhere. It was creepy and stinky and pretty exhausting, but it was also fun.

I mean, how many times as an adult do you go out and play in the mud all day? The teacher had her disposable waterproof camera so, as soon as she processes them, I'll post some pictures.I've relisted ~Coffee & Donuts~ on eBay and that's all I have for right now. I have a bunch of new beads but I've been too busy doing yard work to photograph them. I'm going to try to do it tomorrow.