Random thoughts…

I’m on a crusade of sorts to help the Monarch butterfly.  I didn’t know this until about a year ago, but Monarchs are dependent on milkweed to live.  So if you see a plant in your yard that looks like this...

...please don’t cut it down.  Leave it and keep your fingers crossed that a Monarch will find it and lay a few eggs.  They need our help and this is an easy way to help.  Other butterflies like it, too, so there is a good chance you’ll see some beauties like these Great Spangled Fritillaries even if the Monarchs don’t find you.

Olive and I are living like bachelorettes this week.  Greg is off on a motorcycle trip and we have enough sense not to have anything to do with that.  We’ve been staying up late watching British mysteries, which Greg will watch, but I think he prefers not to.  So we are doing him a favor…or favour.  Here’s Olive trying to stay awake after our late night as she searches for her spot.  She’s a trooper!

One day a couple weeks ago, I went out to stand under our Crabapple tree.  I like standing there because I don’t think I can be seen when I’m inside and under of the branches.  I’m sure that’s illusory on my part, but I do it anyway.  Don’t ask me why.  I just think it’s cool.  So anyhow, I ventured into the tree one day and a bird flew at me and out of the tree.  It was a robin and there was the nest sitting on a branch just slightly above my head.  I hadn’t seen it in there from the outside.

  I tried to stay away so that the family could have some privacy, but I was curious so I had Greg, who is a bit taller than I am, look to see if there was anything still inside the nest.  He thought he could see two eggs.  Well, we left them on their own for the most part and, sure enough, at least two babies emerged.  Now they have flown the coup and I can look more closely at what I think is the most elegant of bird nests.  I couldn’t get a good photo because of all the leaves and branches in the way, but I love those tendrils.  Isn’t it beautiful?

Here you can see two little ones in the nest.  It’s also a pretty poor photo.  It is in situations like this that I really wish I were taller but nothing can be done about that in this lifetime.  At least I got to see the little buggers.  I hope they live long and prosper.

What is it with Blogger lately?  I keep getting these white lines that I have a heck of a time getting rid of.  Well, there are more pressing things I have to think about now...like what the heck are Olive and I going to watch tonight.