Monarchs

The monarchs are back. I have had more caterpillars on my milkweed already this year than I have had in the past five years put together. I feel so encouraged. This morning I planted four more milkweed plants that I bought yesterday for them, because the dozen who were still munching away looked like they would need a few more leaves to reach full size for making cocoons. The milkweed plants that were reduced to sticks two weeks ago are starting to put out new leaves, so by the time they devour the new plants, the established plants will have more to give again. Even though I needed to start driving this morning, with a long road trip ahead of me, I felt that the half hour it would take to plant the milkweed would not make that much difference. When I bought the milkweed I thought I would be leaving Sunday, but it turned out I needed to leave sooner, and planting the milkweed was an affirmation I needed to act on.