Monarch on Mexican Sunflower / Chrysalis

I'd have to say that one of my winning ideas for this summer was to plant a small patch of Mexican sunflowers. It was actually supposed to be both Mexican and regular sunflowers. The sunflower seeds I used were from that single sunflower I befriended in a cemetery in Pine Grove Mills last fall. Remember her? (Here, here, here, and here.)

Unfortunately, not a single actual regular sunflower came up. But the Mexican sunflowers are going great guns. They are bright orange and spectacular. The spot I put them in gets some of the last direct afternoon sunlight of the day. 

A very fresh looking monarch - was it one of ours, born today? - came to the sunflowers and the golden light, and drank from every orange bloom. It was joined for a few shots by a friendly lady bug. I never got an open-winged view, but based on the thin black lines, I'm guessing the butterfly is a male. My recommendation, if you get butterflies at all, or if you love bees: plant Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia)!!!! 

Oh, and hummingbirds adore them too, and on this morning, I watched one of our hummingbirds also drink from every bright orange bloom. Did I have my camera for THAT? No, of course not! But I'll keep trying. (You may view more of the monarch/Mexican sunflower set here on Instagram.)

By the way, this gorgeous male is a member of a very special group of butterflies, the fourth generation of the year. The butterflies born right now are part of what is sometimes called the super generation, or the Methuselah generation. 

Regular monarchs live two to six weeks. The Methuselah group lives eight to nine months, so they are able to complete the 3000-mile migration (yes, you read that right!) to central Mexico. Live long and prosper, my beautiful boy. Fly strong and proud.  <3

In other news, we had big storms here yesterday, with heavy rain for a while. This morning, while fussing around the yard, I went to dump the water out of the cute little yard cart that we keep a pot of osteospermum in. 

As I picked it up and dumped the water out, I felt something squishy by my hand. Ugh, had I touched a slug? Well, imagine my surprise and - yes! delight! - when I discovered the first monarch chrysalis I've seen this year, UNDERNEATH the cart! The chrysalis was a bright green shade that exactly matched the cart's wheels. Good job!

Of course, I brought Nurse Tiny Tiger out to check the patient's vitals. (See photo in the extras.) T Tiger pronounces the chrysalis green and shiny and shot through with gold, and apparently in all ways, as far as he can tell, healthy. So I gently moved the cart to a spot right in front of the milkweed patch, turned it around so the chrysalis was hidden from view, and put the pot of flowers back in. 

There is just one purple bloom left on the plant right now (you saw it the other day, covered in raindrops), and it jealously guards its secret: behind this cart, we are making BUTTERFLIES!!!!!

So much is happening in our yard right now. It's practically butterfly-ville. But some of it is secret, quiet miracles, the kind that take some time. Rest assured that T. Tiger and I will keep an eye on things. We will report back if we have further butterfly news!

I've got two photos, so here are two songs. First, for this fresh monarch above, who just might have been born in our own yard, and quite recently, too, here are the Eagles, with The New Kid in Town.

Second, for the monarch chrysalis tucked way down low, underneath the yard cart that now sits by the milkweed patch, I've got an old Garth Brooks favorite, Friends in Low Places. 

There is a story to go with the latter song. Back when my husband and I started dating, I rented a one-bedroom apartment in Park Forest Apartments. The people who lived below me - two college-age girls - played this song constantly, very, very LOUD, until the windows rattled!

At one point, my (now-husband) boyfriend and I, young lovers who were quite early in the throngs of exploring a very passionate relationship (with great gusto, I might add), went downstairs to confront them over it. We asked politely, Could they please keep it down?

They resisted us over it, never made any promises, and in fact, they lodged a counter-complaint: they informed US, with their eyebrows raised: "We can hear EVERYTHING that goes on in your apartment. And we mean EVERYTHING."

Check and Check MATE!