Friends in dry places

I got a call from the nursery yesterday... the silphium I had requested were in. I returned from picking up the silphium, along with some milkweed, this morning around 10:30. I set the plants in the driveway before carrying them around front to a sunny spot. When I came back to move them, five minutes later, two monarch butterflies were already laying eggs on them. I ate lunch and began planting the milkweed. I was careful to locate eggs on the leaves before handling them, so as not to knock any eggs off as I pulled them out of the pots and placed them in the planting holes. When I got to the fifth plant, checking it over thoroughly, I discovered a medium size monarch caterpillar on the back of the label. He had made the trip all the way from the nursery clinging to the yellow plastic strip stuck in the soil. I carried him over to one of the plants that was already in the ground and he climbed onto a leaf with relief. The last of the plants went in to a location that was sandier than the others. "Don't worry," I reassured it, "you've got friends in dry places."

Five days ago we adopted a two-year-old cat from the clinic. They had named her Bonnie, and we liked that name for her. She is really different than any other cat we have had in our family-- black and white patches, really short hair, skinny tail. She is outgoing and sweet and navigating the political scene with Nick and Daisy quite well. When a visitor came yesterday, she stayed right where she was and was friendly. Nick and Daisy came down more quickly than they usually do when guests arrive. And today, when more visitors came, Nick and Daisy didn't run upstairs but took their cue from Bonnie and joined in the meet-and-greet. Only five days here, and she has already become quite comfortable with them and with us.

Garden time

In 90 and 100 degree weather, I consider getting rained out of garden time to be a good day in the garden. I have plenty of things to do indoors on a wet afternoon.

I am making progress with the clearing of invasives. I don't get out there every day, but every place I clear I mulch and go back to regularly, checking for seedlings and sprouts from roots I missed. I have planted a few flowers to keep myself encouraged that I can indeed get the garden back. There is still much to be done.