Lily's new beginning...

For the past few weeks I have been watching

 the amazing transformation of

a caterpillar to a butterfly.

(You can read more and see more photos in previous posts)

Most of us do these type things as a kid,

or for our own kids or grandkids,

but rarely do them

for ourselves when we get to a certain age

(I'm 60 yo).

So, I thought I would start doing more things like this

 to remind me

of that easily lost sense of wonder.

The kind of wonder that every child has.

The kind of wonder that keeps you young,

makes you have joy,

helps you to savor the day,

and awakens your soul.

The Story of Lily the Butterfly

Lily began her life in my garden

 as a tiny little yellow egg

laid gently on a passion vine tendril,

by a Gulf Fritillary Butterfly.

Later out popped a tiny caterpillar with legs.

She ate and ate in the sunshine,

kept growing and...

Then after while she formed this crysalis

and hung upside down for a couple of weeks.

Magic was happening inside that leaf like crysalis.

Then one morning,

when I opened the jar lid,

there she was.

This is what's left of the crysalis she emerged from.

Lily (new beginning)

was motionless and still wet with a life giving black liquid.

Her wings were not yet stretched out or separated.

She had touches of orange on her black and white delicate wings.

She stayed motionless for awhile,

giving herself time to dry out and

adjusting to her new life as a butterfly.

Then Lily stretched her wings and flew.

I have not been able to get a photo of her,

but I've seen her...

she is there...

 gracing my garden.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne

Awake your soul ...

Wow...What a variety of things to talk about....

( the little things in life are exciting too!! )

I have not posted in awhile,

due to unexpected migraines off and on

(a nine day storm),

but I think I'm gonna live,  :) SOOO.....

 Hope all of you are enjoying the first days of June.

This is the month of the Super Moon!

(largest for year 2013)

Because the full moon, coming up on June 23rd,

 coincides with perigee

(when the moon is closest to the Earth),

the moon will appear much larger and brighter.

So, think about getting  your cameras ready

in a spot where you can see the moon rise above the horizon,

for it's best show.

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My DH has been busy,

(as he always seems to be).

This weekend he built a new bed frame

and headboard for the guest room.

We used some plywood we had left over,

and then bought a few more boards

to build this simple design that I designed.

We always try to use what we have....

so I design around those materials.

Here it is drying in the shop.

He stained the wood using an oak stain,

then before putting on the clear coat of poly,

I painted a tree branch and added some words on the headboard.

(Got the word idea from Pinterest)

Here is a close up.

(You can barely see the rope trim on the edge.)

Nothing fancy, but I like it.

It will go in the bedroom this evening after it's good and dry.

I think my guests will enjoy it.

Oh yes, cost was less than 50 dollars.

---------------------------------------------

Many of you may know by now

that I like to name things.

I love words!

Naming a pet is difficult at times,

especially when that pet is a caterpillar. 

Yes, a caterpillar.

A few weeks back

I decided to capture (boy it was hard too)

a caterpillar and watch it go through

its magical stages.

Lily, my pet caterpillar you see below,

(still an orange caterpillar with black spiky things)

got her name from Kimmie

( of Art in Red Wagons )

 

 I liked all the name suggestions,

but especially the name Lily, because as Kimmie said,

this will be a Gulf Fritillary butterfly,

and the fritillaria flower is in the family liliaceae.

Thanks Kimmie!

Lily is now in the crysalis stage.

Lily decided to attach herself to the jar lid,

(I guess she had her reasons).

In this photo, taken about a week ago,

 Lily is still forming the crysalis.

( I didn't want to bother her TOO much.)

She worked most of the day.

 Here is the finished hard crysalis.

Looks kind of like a dead leaf hanging there.

Now the magic happens.

 From what I understand,

it will take a couple of weeks

before Lily emerges as a butterfly.

It is pretty amazing when you think about it!

-------------

You don't have to do big things, go to exotic places,

or spend a lot of money

in order to....

Savor the Day!...

or to Awake your soul!

Yvonne

Fritillary and Seaglass...

May butterflies...

Well, thanks to you fellow nature lovers out there,

I learned what the little caterpillar,

 I showed you in my last post,

 was going to turn in to.....

A beautiful Gulf Fritillary butterfly.

Most of the other caterpillars

were lunch for the birds I believe,

but I did see and capture one

and now have it in a jar

with it's food,

the passion vine.

I want to see it turn from caterpillar,

to crysalis, to butterfly.

Have you ever done that?

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting,

small but approachable,

butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life.

 And everyone deserves a little sunshine.

 ~Jeffrey Glassberg

----------------------------------

SEA GLASS or

Mermaid Tears

Barbara of http://pinelandstreasures.blogspot.com/

 sent me some New Jersey shore sea glass.

Thanks Barbara, I love it!

I took one of the green pieces

and made this....

Just a little something with wire, beads

and a little dragonfly.

I have it hanging on the lamp in my office.

The other pieces she sent me,

 I have in a hand blown glass bowl,

with some other little treasures.

This is to remind me that

each piece is unique,

intriquing and with a

mysterious past.

I have learned that there is a

National Seaglass Association

http://www.seaglassassociation.org/

They have a very interesting publication called

Shorelines.

If you love collecting seaglass,

you may want to check it out.

Savor the Day!

Yvonne