leaving the nest

it's the time of year, when the babies, young birds i mean, leave the nest and venture out into the world on their own. their parents long gone, the wee ones stay around fattening up and perhaps working on their flying skills.

we've noticed several around our neighborhood, they come closer than their wiser and older parents, and along with looking bewildered (to me) they also look curious. the second photo is a baby mockingbird (we think) and it was so close to our window i almost thought it would fly in.

and the little hummingbird. oh my goodness, it's the closest i've ever been to one sitting so still. it seemed he was as interested in me as i was in him. look at those fluffy feathers! and amazingly he didn't even mind owens shenanigans.

all these empty nests...sigh...it must be easier being a bird mother...

climbing rocks

yesterday morning we were on the road by four thirty am, we'd be meeting a friend for some rock climbing. well, chuck and our good friend tony would be climbing, i would be happily watching from below.

did you see the horse? isn't he gorgeous? he appeared in between the craggy rocks, posed for a photo and was gone again. we were gone too by eight am, chuck had to get to work to his day job on the beach. (this photo is almost exactly 13 years old, we had just met, me and my lifeguard.sigh. see hannah hiding under the tower? she's so little!)

watching time fly

friday evening i received a phone call from a friend. she said 'their turning' you might want to come tomorrow.

she was referring to the caterpillar and butterfly population that had decided to call her home their home too. i'd been waiting for this!

when the monarch caterpillar's metamorphosis is complete, the chrysalis changes from green to black, the pupa on the far left is ready, you can see it's wings clearly now

and out emerges a butterfly

 i sat watching and waiting hoping to actually see this happen. these six pots and the surrounding area plays host to dozens of butterflies in all four stages

the butterfly sanctuary (roped off with caution tape so unsuspecting passersby won't disturb the little insects)

this is milkweed, or butterfly bush, they live on this plant and must have it to survive

when the new butterfly emerges all crinkled and wrinkled and wet, it needs to dry off and warm up before it can use it's wings and fly. this one stayed like this for close to two hours

a monarch caterpillar getting into the j shape, for the the chrysalis stage it's going into next

six new butterflies are born

my friends left for the day so i was butterfly watching alone, they left cold drinks, a chair, and a cushion (for close up watching while on knees!) thank you!

finally! this guy is dry and he opened his wings for the first time. it's a boy! distinguishable by the two black dots in the bottom center, girls don't have these

and on another plant, a girl emerges! my granddaughter told me you have to name living things (well, she names everything) she said if you don't it won't be happy. i certainly want these two to be happy so i named them rene and melanie, after my friends that shared their garden with me.

i waited for over three hours. watching all the other comings and goings in the garden. see the hummingbird that darted over for 20 seconds?!

it was foggy and cool, and that made the butterflies take longer to warm up, did you know that monarch butterflies cannot fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees?

rene seems to be getting closer, here he is 'shivering' his wings to warm up. i didn't mind waiting, i really wanted to see everything, from the emerging to the first flight

so i waited (and hoped for sun)

and waited and had a latte

and then later had a drink my friend so kindly left (the sun came out and now it's hot!)

and knit (or unknit, making mistakes is common when your not looking at what your doing)

i stepped on my reading glasses, again, not watching

and i sent text messages to all my kids, look i said, a brand new butterfly!  i got this response ' mom, your such a hippie'.  and then....it happened, while i was busy doing all the above things, i missed the actual liftoff...

but he's flying!!

rene,  is in the air. well my goodness. i felt so proud of him.

watching his first fluttery attempts in his new butterfly body gave me great joy. he didn't stay long in the air though and floated softly down to a patch of grass. i crept over, stuck my hand out (remember doing this as a child?) and offered him my finger. he accepted. and i'm pretty sure i heard him whisper 'did you see that?!  i can fly!'

Personalize your own digital slideshow

if you have a moment, this short slide show is of one of the butterflies emerging from it's chrysalis, it's a miracle to watch every time. (be sure to turn down your volume if you prefer no music).
happy birthday also to three lovely bloggy friends, laurel, karen and mim, whose birthdays are this (and next) week! and chuck and i both want to thank you very much for the kind comments on my last post.

xo lori