Camera Critter Saturday

I have been planting herbs to attract Black Swallowtail Butterflies for 3 years, the first 2 years, I was successful, last year I did not have any for some reason, keeping my fingers crossed for next year.
They like fennel and parsley.

Caterpillars, Critters, Cakes and other Things

Well, I have not posted in over a week which for me is unusual. I have been busy with my annual cleaning/organizing/ painting frenzy :). Plus I have been playing cribbage online, something I have not done in a long long time. I love the game, any cribbage players out there? I play on pogo.com, I used to play on the zone.com but they quit offering cribbage a couple of years ago. And I have been making candles, so I guess I have all kinds of reasons for my lack of posting. As I mentioned in a previous post I brought my Brugs inside because it was so windy and they were getting knocked over all the time. They scented my house for over a week, which was wonderful. The Blackswallow tail caterpillars are gone, I hope they have spun the chrysalis and are safe for the winter but if they did, I can't find them. It is hot and humid again, which I hate, I want some fall weather. I included a picture of a molasses cake I baked and a couple of pics of the four legged kids just to share.

We are going to Wisconsin tomorrow for apples, cheese curds and picture taking, I think it is a bit early for optimum fall color but we have other plans for the next two weekends so it is this weekend or the last weekend of the month. I hope to have some fall pictures of the Mississippi to post.

Black Swallowtail Caterpillars

After seeing a "garden for the senses" at the Omaha Zoo last fall I decided to plant one this spring, I have really enjoyed it. I planted all kinds of herbs, scented geraniums, a jasmine plant, cayenne pepper and some ornamental grass. I planted parsley and fennel with the hope of getting some butterfly eggs and it worked!!!! Our grandsons spent this past weekend with us, we were outside looking around, I was pulling leaves from the plants in my garden for the senses for them to smell, I was getting the "that stinks" remarks when my oldest grandson discovered the caterpillars of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly, I was so excited, of course we got the camera right away. My grandson took these pictures. I think they turned out really well.

I have been debating about bringing one of the caterpillars inside to watch it turn into a chrysalis, I found instructions online, but have decided I would rather leave it outside. I wish I could have gotten a picture of the butterfly itself earlier in the summer but I could never get a good shot.