Monarch

My kids love to be outside, and I couldn't be happier.

They delight in everything I show them- ant hills, Jewel weed seed pods, blackberries. All of a sudden all the little things I learned from childhood- how you can pick clover and taste the sweetness of it, how mica on rocks glitter in the sun- are useful again, in a way they haven't been in years. There is so much to see in every foot of outdoor space, and I enjoy getting down to the kids' level to show them.

This September, after a couple years of searching milkweed after milkweed, I finally found a monarch caterpillar. My excitement fed off onto Rosie & Buddy, and they very excitedly followed me into the house. Steve drilled some holes in the top of a mason jar, and we put the caterpillar in, with plenty of milkweed.

When asked what we should name her, Rosie exclaimed: "Redda!". So, Redda it was. Rosie ran off to get Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", so she could read it to Redda. I guess she didn't need me to make that connection for her!

Redda was already quite big when we found her, so it was no surprise to me that in a few days, we found her hanging from the top of the mason jar in a J shape. The next night, a chrysalis formed. It was hard to believe she was in that tiny green casing.

As luck would have it, Redda hatched the one evening that month that Rosie and Buddy were spending the night at Nana & Grampa's. Steve and I let Redda free outside, and watched her test out her new wobbly legs. I took lots of pictures, and emailed them to Nana so she could show the kids.

I'm so happy that my kids delight in the outside and what nature has to offer. I can only hope that their enthusiasm for the outside continues, and that they will always find nature as healing and exciting as I do to this day.