"I went to a friend's husband's 80th birthday yesterday and one of the guests there brought Bill a gift of a monarch caterpillar. She and I talked and I asked a few questions about raising the butterfly since I had never attempted it or knew anything about it. She leaves the party and returns a few minutes later with a inch long caterpillar in a cottage cheese container resting on a milkweed and gives it to me. Not knowing what I was getting into I accepted the responsibility of this life. I went home a little later and transferred (IT) to a quart glass jar with Saran cover and poked breathing holes in the cover, not In IT. I watched IT through the evening and got on line to read about IT's life cycle. I was very concerned that I would not have enough milkweed to feed its voracious appetite, about 20 leaves though its life cycle so I called my neighbor last night and she said she would check to see if she had any milkweed growing in her back yard in the morning."
"It may be all for naught since IT hasn't moved since I brought IT home. When I see a sign of life I may give IT a name. So far I feel like a failure. I'm torn between hoping it moves and hoping it doesn't. Bad mother! I will have to go hunting for milkweed growing around here and the weeds are all wet from the rain."
"Update on IT, which should have been named by now. I had to run some errands and was gone a couple of hours. During that time IT shimmied out of it's exoskeleton, shedding in on the jar floor like a castoff dress, forming an emerald green "kimono" around itself, better known as a chrysalis, and was hanging by a spun thread from the Saran Wrap ceiling when I got home. You just can't turn your back on these things, and since it's all wrapped up, IT can't eat anything, at least for now. I moved it from the counter to a serving cart by a window and IT swayed so much I was afraid the thread would break so I did not take IT with me to the cottage. I'm just waiting for something to happen now."
"I'm trapped. I need a baby monitor. I was going to go early this morning to the dealership and get my oil changed. I'm getting maintenance messages, instead I pulled up a chair to my island because I don't want to miss the metamorphosis. Now I think I know what it's like waiting for a birth. How long does this take. It already turned black. I could wait for hours!"
This is Joan releasing "IT"!!!
And a happy ending!!!! "IT" is alive and well....just check out these video's Joan sent me!
I told Joan she needs to write a blog, as she is so funny. I always enjoy reading her emails and her 'MacGyver" episodes! But those are a whole other blog post!!! Who knows...I may have to share some of those if I can get Joan to give me permission!!! Until then I hope you enjoyed meeting and reading about "IT" from my friend, Joan!!! Congrats, Joan!!! You were a good mom to "IT"!!!!
What an interesting experience Joan had. I got a kick out of her encouraging IT, telling IT "You can do it". Fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun videos...Joan sounds like a great mom to IT...can't wait to hear the name she gives IT....
ReplyDeleteMy son and DIL planted milkweed and then when there were eggs on it brouht it in. He made a screen "house" for them. There five and all them made it and were released. It was a great lesson for the kids. But yes a big job for mom!
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