Buggy

 My niece is going to be a ladybug for Halloween. My sister requested this specific hat. I had to make it a little bigger because the hat is for a newborn, but I think I was successful.
Before I sent the hat off in the mail, I decided I wanted a picture. The butternut squash was the perfect model.

I also have three swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. They love them some fennel!

 At first I had them in a jar, but with three of them and how quickly they were eating I doubted there was enough room in there.

So I cleaned up one of the bee packages and it is the perfect way to raise butterflies.  

 Air circulates easily through the cage and I can see everything. I have three more, one I will give to a coworker who has two sons, and the other two I will give to another coworker whose wife runs a day care. Caterpillars can be purchased online and it would be great for the kids to see how this works.

All three went into cocoons within a day or two of each other. But only one has emerged and that was last weekend. When I looked up to see how long it takes for them to turn into butterflies it says it could be a little as two weeks or several months. I hope the other two emerge soon or it will be too cold to release them, and then what?  It is supposed to warm up again this week, so hopefully that will push them along. They sure are amazing. 

Second August Update

I was in California. It was wonderful.
Yes it was hot. But it was dry!
The biggest focus was spending time with family.
My new niece and her energetic big brother to begin with.

As tradition dictates we met at El Cholo for the first evening. After Liam declared he was "nervous" but I assuaged that feeling with three trucks from the 99¢ Store, he sat beside me and proceeded to gobble most of the guacamole. Although a substantial portion landed on my blouse.
Two days later after story time at the local library we went to have lunch at California Grill (a local favorite). My nephew has his mind set on some things.

He ate a lot more of his burgers after I showed him how to dip them into the dipping sauce. Interesting how the dipping "skill" was already there for the french fries.

Every fry had to be dipped into each dipping sauce available on the table before it could be eaten.

 Other Liam antics included (but were not limited to): My fan.
As I am old an eccentric and don't really care what people think about said eccentricity anymore, I carry a fan with me during the summer months. In Philadelphia it is imperative on the close SEPTA platforms, in California it just keeps one from sweating when it is not necessary.

Liam wanted to "borrow" it. The minute he had it in his hands it became a "map," specifically a "map" to find the letter "O." How 'bout that? And sure enough he opened it and walked around  pretending to use it as guidance for the letter O on any signs in the playground. He is 3.

Every time we spent time together he asked for the "map." I finally decided he needed his own. I went to Daiso Japan (the Japanese Dollar Store) and they had blank fans I could decorate. 

Thank goodness Ann was well stocked with both rubber stamp alphabets and ink pads! I made Liam his own "map."
I went to say goodbye the evening before I left, as I was really leaving and saying goodbye,  Liam said, "wait! wait!" and ran away from us. When he returned he the "map" and tried to give it to me and told me I needed it. I asked him to keep it safe until I came back. He said, "OK." 


My niece? Oh, she's a cutie pie!

 Jesmyn is very calm and peaceful. She doesn't fuss much. But if you turn her to face you - she will talk your ear off. She really has alot to say! But mostly she is just interested in watching her big brother ricochet around the room. My nephew subscribes to Irish comedian, Tommy Tiernan's description of his middle child  "If reality doesn't meet the demands of his imagination he simply abandons it."

We already have the example of the "map," now witness the "snake-tail."

One thing I really wanted to do while in SoCal was to go to Artesia to the Indian Sari Fabric shops. Long story short, I struck gold. I bought four sari's - 6-7 yards of fabric each. Since I am not able to wear an actual sari, the fabric will be re-appropriated. Firstly by my nephew- who grabbed the gorgeous blue and turquoise piece (which both my sister and I agreed reminded us of something our godmother Nancy would wear), and ran around the house pretending the fabric was his "snake tail."

This went on for a good while, keeping him well entertained.

And one lets him, even though my sister wondered if the fabric wouldn't snag on anything? I didn't care. What a great gift to give him for memories. Not sure if he will remember - but I will.