2 days ago I was sitting out on my driveway chatting with my neighbor Mary Lou while our kids jumped on the trampoline in the backyard. Michael was about to pull onto the driveway when we spotted something crawling quickly across the driveway. I motioned for him to stop, so as not to roll over whatever it was. I don't touch creepy crawlies, but when he got out, he identified it as a harmless caterpillar and picked it up. We called the kids from the backyard, and Matthew latched onto the little guy right away.
Tyler had been gone at scouts and came home to us playing with him.
Matthew kept him in a shoebox and added leaves and sticks to immitate his habitat and watched and waited for Catter to turn into a chrysalis. He slept with that box next to him and asked me to take him out for "fresh air" while he was at school the next day. When he came home, he carried him all around with him, even in the car to a friends house. When he went to bed that night, Michael and I noticed the poor little guy was a lot smaller and either dying or transforming. We think the former. Matthew took him to show and tell at school today, and when he was still alive when he came home, we did some research and tried to make the little guys life more comfortable. We plumped up his habitat and gave him an apple which he nibbled on, and sprinkled some droplets of water for him. Matthew was out back tearing up our tree for some good limbs. Having fun, hope they aren't too heartbroken if this all goes awry.
In Other news....
This is our garden right now. Our corn is super tall and so fun to watch grow! We already ate the green peas and they were delicious. The kids were so excited to reap the rewards of their nurturing. Michael does this with the kids, I don't have any part of it. I just take pictures.
14 comments:
Fun! That is the most awesome caterpillar I have ever seen - well, the fuzziest, anyways.
And your garden looks fantastic!
You lucky gal - I planted vegetable seeds last week..the earliest we could start to plant. I am anxiuosly awaiting our vegetables, but nothing will happen until about July. I wish we could grow corn,but we can't in our neighborhood. Pretty silly...I know. ENJOY!! IT IS ALOT OF FUN. My girls LOVED pumpkins last year. You should give it a try.
Soooo fuzzy! I remember my sister and I did that same thing with a lizard. We might have accidentally suffocated it though, and that's why it died. I hope it turns out well.
That corn looks great! I planted some kale, broccoli,peas, and onions like a month ago. Since that time, I have not weeded or anything. I think next time I want to do the box thing so that weeds from the backyard don't encroach on my garden....we'll see.
How great that your kids have something like that to work for and then reap the benefits by eating the food. :)
Nice looking garden! Do you remember Lucianna Hudson? She really didn't like caterpillars, Really really! Once I was driving down Barksdale, right next to Milburn orchard and you could see dozens of them crossing the road! So random!
Ok, I have another really long comment. :) 3 years ago Janey found a wooley caterpillar. We put it in a jar and the next morning it was a cocoon! Very cool. We kept the jar on the windowsill for months, waiting and watching. December rolled around and I stuck it in a cupboard so I could decorate. May came around and I realized it was still there.I was certain it was dead but, I put it on the windowsill and a few days later, during breakfast we looked over and voila! A butterfly was just hatching! So fun! So don't give up. I have a cocoon on my counter right now!
I love the corn! Our garden inTX always fried in the sun!
Love that garden! Keep us posted on the caterpillar.
Your corn looks amazing! - Cynthia
Both my kids are afraid of bugs! Which totally works for me. SO NOT A FAN!
However I did learn that when Alec was on a field trip to a Horse Ranch that he touched a dead Copper Head Snake. On purpose! Gives me the creepy crawlies just thinking about it.
yeah for corn! [from an iowa girl--;)]
wow, your corn is tall! Ours is barely coming out of the ground 4 inches. Amazing how different the climate is! I'm still not used to how dry it is...
I never attempted corn in texas, what a good idea...
can you have michael come over and plant a garden for us? thanks.
So cute. It reminds me of the picture of Matthew with the butterfly on his shoulder. I must know if he survived. And I love your garden. That corn is very impressive.
The garden looks awesome! How is Catt-er doing??
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