We let the last of our four butterflies into the world today. It was a very fun project this year, planting milkweed in our window box, watching the monarchs lay their eggs, finding teeny tiny caterpillars on the leaves and picking them off when they became big, fat caterpillars. We brought four inside and put them in our butterfly house. We got to watch them make their chrysalis’ and then finally emerge. Throughout the days leading up to their arrivals, we read butterfly books, played butterfly games, I made her a felted set of the “parts of a butterfly” and we played with Aly Parrot‘s beautiful Monarch life cycle set (of which I made cards to match). We let the first Monarch go in our garden. Ellie named her Marigold. She hung around the longest, sitting on Ellie’s finger and on the lettuce. Roy was the next to emerge. Ellie was with her Grandparents at the time, so Jeff and I released him onto the milkweed. The next day, Lavender emerged. She seemed to not want anything to do with us and flew off pretty quickly (which upset my little butterfly girl, who desperately wanted to hold her on her finger). But then two days later, Morning Glory came out of her chrysalis. She didn’t stick around too long either, but long enough to flutter on Ellie’s finger and it was neat seeing her fly off into the sky. Ellie was proud of herself for raising these butterflies. When we got back inside after releasing our last Monarch, I asked Ellie if she wanted to draw pictures of her butterflies, so we could remember them. She drew a fantastic drawing with oil pastels, naming the different parts of their bodies, “here’s the head and the thorax and abdomen, this one has orange antenna.”
What a great spring this is turning out to be.
FUZZY WUZZY CATERPILLAR
INTO THE CORNER WILL CREEP.
HE’LL SPIN HIMSELF A BLANKET,
HE’LL SPIN HIMSELF A BLANKET,
AND THEN FALL FAST ASLEEP.
FUZZY WUZZY CATERPILLAR WILL WAKE UP BY AND BY,
TO FIND THAT HE HAS GROWN TWO WINGS,
NOW HE’S A BUTTERFLY!
FLY BUTTERFLY, FLY THROUGH THE SKY!
-Spring Tales collected and written by Suzanne Down
summerplayshouse 
Oh Summer, this is something I think we tried but don’t remember being successful, certainly not the way you have. Most likely because we did not read the book or have the proper equipment. It was a jar and cover with holes poked in, a stick and a caterpillar. Hooray for you and Ellie, bringing those beautiful creatures into the world and enjoying the process. You are both wonders. Would you prefer I commented on FB and not on your blog? Keep these great stories coming. You have a large following.
this is incredible!!!! what a special experience! i am so glad i popped in here! had a minute and after glancing at some of your gorgeous art in my house thought “i should pop in and catch up with summer.” i love all of the details you add to these experiences. you have one lucky little girl there. what an inspiration! thank you!
Aww, Thank you so much Jenny! I miss you! I need to pop into your space as well! I’ve been seriously neglecting this space. Need to get back into it.