Hello My Friends!
Well, that was a bit of an unintended break - LOL. I decided to not post last Tuesday for TNT because I had no new stitching to show (and I still don't, so unless I manage to sneak in some stitches this afternoon there will be no TNT post tomorrow). And then one thing led to another and life got busy and I just stopped even looking at the computer (which really is an okay thing to do).
Nothing major went on - we did get our updated Covid shots during the week (and I'm scheduling our flu shots for this week). There was a trip to Quest for lab work to be done. Meals were prepared. A little (very little) knitting was accomplished and a bit of reading (but again, no stitching). I had a quiet, but lovely birthday and managed to turn another year older.
One day I wandered out to the garden to pick some parsley for whatever I was preparing. Look what I saw:
I think/hope this is a Monarch caterpillar and there were more than a dozen of these guys all over my parsley plant. Now I need to be careful when I pick! For the record, there were also plenty of yellow beans hanging and ready to be picked, but I did not bother. Fletch will save some for next year's seeds, but we already have a large bag in the fridge and there is the full gallon bag at Colin's, so I let these go. One can only eat so many beans!
The kids have been away again, so I've been running over to feed Talbot (and clean litter boxes) twice a day. This morning will be the last run - the kids come home today. I have a big pot of Brunswick stew to leave in their fridge for their return. And Bonnie, Mailing's Mom, is back from her Alaskan cruise, so she is taking over Iris duties for the balance of the week.
No real plans for this week other than a haircut on Wednesday and a flu shot (whenever I book them). I'm really (seriously) attempting to clean out the freezer, so grocery runs have been lighter (and cheaper). Today is forecast to be cooler, so Fletch is planning to grill a pork loin roast I discovered in the freezer...and I guess I may cook up some of those yellow beans that have been hanging in the fridge.
So, nothing exciting, but I'm hoping to get back to checking your blogs at some point today. And I hope everyone is doing well! Cheers to another week (and how can it be mid-September already?).
I made appts. for covid and flu shots in the beginning of October. I have the usual side effects from them but I always feel better getting those shots before flu season starts. I'm not an expert by any means, but I think that might be a swallowtail caterpillar. The monarch is less greenish and more white, and feeds only on milkweed, but I could certainly be wrong. Enjoy your Monday!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you needed that break. I envy you those caterpillars. I have not seem many caterpillars or butterflies this summer.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delight to find those handsome caterpillars hanging out! I have to get my appointments for the COVID and Flu jabs done... thank you for the reminder! I hope C&M and Iris had a fun time on my side of the state!
ReplyDeleteI think it is the Eastern Black Swallowtail because it is also known as the parsley caterpillar! How cool to see them in your garden!
ReplyDeleteI was just starting to worry if you were okay, and I'm glad to hear that you were just busy and staying off the computer. I have been seeing a lot of monarch this year, which makes me happy -- more bees and butterflies are good signs! I'm planning to do flu and COVID shots in early October so they last a little longer into the winter. I feel like everyone in PA should also get their measles titers checked in case they need a booster, too!
ReplyDeleteThis month is flying by. The weather is only slightly better here but just getting out a bit more than I have seems to eat up all my time. It's getting harder to find any big blocks of quiet time so I get what you're saying about TNT. I don't have much to show for this week which hasn't been the case all summer.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually a black swallowtail caterpillar, Vera. They look a lot like Monarch caterpillars, though. I usually leave my parsley to go to seed because parsley is to black swallowtails what milkweed is to Monarchs! (Where they lay their eggs.) Aren't they beautiful????
ReplyDeleteLook at that beautiful caterpillar! I was going to tell you it's a black swallowtail but I see Kym already did. I do appreciate this reminder to check my parsley, though, because I always see black swallowtail butterflies in my yard but I've never seen a caterpillar.
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