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Jul 16, 2010

kinderGARDENS Week 14 Update: Caterpillars, Butterflies & Uncles!



The green roof had a few plants that appear to be surviving in triple digit heat & humidity!


I think it's the mini-pumpkins!


Other things interesting the kids lately are the caterpillars! Several photos showing different branches of the same fennel plant. And there are 5 more fennel plants that I didn't even photograph! Get the kids and see how many they can count!








The main plants in our butterfly garden are Parsley, Dill & Fennel... plant some and you will see why! And don't forget Butterfly Weed & Milkweed for the adults, among other flowering herbs, they love it!

Here's a video tour of the dill & fennel wildlife:




Other exciting things this past week include the arrival of the kids' uncle, one of my brothers flies with the Air Force, and occasionally we get a surprise visit when he arrives for an overnight stay at our local base!


We made it in time for the kids to watch him park it! They were so excited, they really need that male bonding while daddy's away in the Middle East. We had a great dinner with him, then he was off again!


The kids with one of their favorite uncles... they are all favorites! One's job is flying airplanes (cool), another works for Caterpillar (cool again!) and uncle that lives in AZ drives for FedEx (way cool guy that drives the trucks with presents on them LOL!) !!

As for me.... I'm out the door in 5 minutes - dropping the kids off at 4-H Camp for the weekend, yay for me! Although I kind of wish I was headed to camp! I have to drive almost 2 hours to get there, so you know I must really want some time to myself, is that selfish? Oh, well!

As always, check out The Inadvertent Farmer for a link to other kinderGARDENS participants' updates!

11 comments:

  1. I wondered if those were swallowtail caterpillars - way cool!

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  2. Great crop of caterpillars! And congratulations on the surviving pumpkin plant. The kids must be pleased!

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  3. I love the butterfly garden! Those hummingbird moths are some of the coolest insects! I never know what the swallowtail caterpillars looked like. Thanks!

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  4. Wow, that is a lot of catepillars indeed! That is great that the kids saw their uncle! Cool!

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  5. That's a bunch of caterpillars. What fun to watch them all develop.
    I'm glad you got to see your brother. Have a fun weekend!
    Judy

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  6. I had no idea there was so much action with so many caterpillars in a butterfly garden! (There's a lot I don't know.)

    Wahoo! Sounds like you've got a great "Mama gets a weekend off" coming up. Go for it, girl. Do whatever you want without having to schedule your days around the boys.

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  7. ugh, 5 hours in the car - I just now got home and it's 8:18 pm... guess there goes my Friday night, better luck tomorrow on that "me time" huh? LOL!

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  8. My kids would think those jobs were the coolest of the cool too, so nice that you could squeeze in some family bonding!

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  9. Awesome caterpillar photos - I might have to plant fennel next year to see if I can get some of those to come to our yard. :o)
    Hooray for family time with your brother, and hooray for Mama time - enjoy your weekend!

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  10. hi ZippyZippy & Julie! Those caterpillars sure are a fun diversion to watch when it gets too hot to do any real work!

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