We have chrysalis!

Wednesday night I saw this:

I checked on him several times in the evening but he continued to look like this (I should so totally name him - and a non-gender specific name since I have no idea if this is a boy) so I went to bed. In the morning I had this:

I"m kind of glad I missed the whole spectacle because instead of spinning a web around themselves they literally break their skin and molt into their chrysalis. There are interesting time lapse videos on YouTube if you are interested in seeing it. So in nine to fifteen days, hopefully, there will be a butterfly.

The one that is outside is a day or two ahead of the one inside so that one could very well hatch first. We'll have to see.

So, I'm back to not having anything to care for.. *sigh* I kinda hope my cats don't take this as a signal to get into trouble to make me care for them. Although, with this cold that is coming on, maybe I should just take some time and care for myself.

Eli is a happy boy

After everything this boy has been through, and considering how paranoid he is, it always amazes me when asks for belly rubs. I can never refuse him.

There is just no stopping the grabby hands

Well, I couldn't help myself. When I went to check on the three remaining caterpillars on Monday morning and I could only find two. One was still eating the other was off on a peony plant just hanging out. I was running a little late so I didn't have time to try to collect it so I decided to do it when I got home from work. Losing them one at a time like this was hard.  When I got home there was only the one left and I really could not stand it, so, yeah, I collected it.

At first he wasn't eating but after a few hours he started to eat so I am hopeful that he will thrive and we'll have a chrysalis soon.

For fun, I went out one last time yesterday to see if I could find any others. No more caterpillars, but there was this.

Muffin haz a sad

Momma has let our treat stores become dangerously low!! I do not know how we will survive. Why just today this happened..

Momma emptied the chicken dust on the breakfast plates - and then *THEW AWAY THE BAG!!!* I was forced to lick dust up off the ground. That is no way for a proper lady cat to eat a treat..

I think there is something wrong with the momma.. I really do. I think someone needs to send *her* a bag of freeze dried chickens..

And then there were three - the caterpillar saga continues

I am going to admit that it has been a bit depressing to go from nine caterpillars to three. I don't know what is happening. I've seen some of them wander off into the peony plants right next to the milkweed, so I've been looking to see if I can see if they formed chrysalises in my peonies, but so far nothing. I'm not sure that is because my peonies are so dense or they just aren't there. Once again, I am tempted to intervein and take them inside but I'm not sure that is any better for them. I wish I could see just one form and hatch, but unless I do I won't be sharing any more updates.

I did find two interesting things this last time out to my garden. First, I received a fall strawberry. It was yummy.

There was also a moth hanging out in the garden