it's tradition!

it was 13 years ago, when my favorite girl cousin, cathy... (board certified m.d. & voted one of the top 10 ob/gyns in detroit--- yeah, i like to brag about her--i love her so), introduced me to monarch larvae hunting. it was the day we buried my dad. all of the family came back to the house and a mix of emotions flooded the air.... naturally, to be expected with any passing.

seeing this, my cousin cathy asked me to go on a monarch hunt.

with jars in hand... she taught me how to find them and harvest them.

here's something to think about.....

the year after my dad's passing..... a milkweed plant suddenly appeared in my flowerbed. it came from nowhere. we had never had it before! but we left it, with the intent to harvest monarch's each year.

we now have a nice patch of milkweed, some years producing many larva's-- other years none at all.

as i walk past the milkweed, tending my gardens... i go back in time and remember that bittersweet summer day.

what a favor she did for me... in a subtle way, showing me "new life."

*picture taken in my house and garden

*40% of the monarch population was lost this

year, due to the cold winter in northern mexico.

smile, wink, nod!