The Mother of all Caterpillars

Life cycle of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly

A few weeks ago I noticed a caterpillar munching on my potted parsley. After identifying her as Black Swallowtail (how did I survive before Google?) I left her to her alone to graze in the sunshine. Evidently she chose to morph into a chrysalis nearby because only a week later I was privileged to watch as she warmed in the morning sun on bedding I was airing on the deck.

First Swallowtail

 

Days later I snipped some parsley as I prepared for Betsy’s visit, and I noticed little yellow dots on the leaves. I googled again, then tucked the leaves back in the parsley plant among the other Swallowtail eggs.  

Young Swallowtail caterpillars

When they hatched there were dozens of little black & white worms and they grew to fat caterpillars as they devoured the parsley. One evening I counted over 85 growing Swallowtails

 

After a few days I had to drive to town to search out organic parsley for my growing brood.

When I tried to gently transfer them they threatened me with orange forked antennae called osmeterium. (Apparently they smell awful to birds, but it’s not much of a deterrent to a determined ‘grandmother’.)

 

 

 

Swallowtails on parsley

One by one they dropped off the parsley and crawled away.

I was able to find about twenty and monitored them as each transformed into a chrysalis and braved the thunderstorms.

Swallowtail Chrysalis

And then last week they began to emerge – from everywhere!

I had Swallowtails sunning on the deck, on the steps, on the tomato plants, and on the chairs.

 

 So the cycle begins again (and the parsley is recovering nicely).

 

 

 But yesterday I saw little yellow eggs on one of the Passion Flower vines transplanted from Kentucky, and today I identified the hairy little caterpillars of the Gulf Fritillary butterfly…

Waterdog

Sophie enjoyed her tour of Wolf Bay!

Until this trip,  Sophie had never acknowledged pelicans were birds.  Watching them crash into the surf on our morning walks probably reenforced her opinion they were piscine, not avian,  creatures.

But seeing them land gracefully on the channel markers as we passed amazed and fascinated her.

 

Touring the neighborhood

 And she loved sightseeing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dog Tired

 But she found the sport of  searching for dolphins to be BORING!

 

Thanks for a terrific day!

Southern Religion

Re-enactment at Fort Morgan

Erstwhile Confederate soldier, August 2, 2009

When they entered the office wearing wool suits on a hot summer day I honestly thought the Amish had come to the beach. 

Only religious fervor, I reasoned, would cause someone to suffer a hair shirt or itchy wool coat on a hot summer day in  Alabama.

But they bought ice, water, and beer and explained they had come to town for the re-enactment of the battle of Mobile Bay. They were camped at Fort Morgan for the weekend and they were very, very  thankful for rain in the forecast.

Yankees at the Marina

When my boys were young we attended many re-enactments because they always featured well- trained horses, antique firearms, and good  food. 

And I love the architecture of the fort, (  http://www.gulf-shores-alabama.net/fort-morgan.html)  we visited annually when my boys were young and vacationed at the little house on (now) Mobile Street.  I have great respect for  classic construction techniques  and I am in awe of the intricate brick arches and vaulted ceilings at the fort.  It has been too long since my last visit.  So I happily accepted their invitation and stopped by the fort on my way to work Sunday.            

There were no horses… but there were lots of muskets, parasols, and cannons.  And there were replicas of the ironclads CSS Tennessee and USS Manhattan.

We enjoyed watching several skirmishes and the firing of an 1830 era cannon used in the Civil War before returning to the air conditioned museum.

 

Long-suffering Confederate wife

 

 

 

Preparing to fire

I spoke with some of the hot, itchy actors about the discomfort and expense they had endured to participate in the battle, and I must confess that I don’t understand the attraction. 

CSS Tennessee

 I sometimes wonder if they  are re-enacting the Civil War because they hope it ends differently this time? Surely not.

USS Manhattan

 At work that afternoon a bedraggled Yankee came into the office. He was, he said, a survivor of the USS Tecumseh.

 But in his haste to jump to safety, he forgot the keys to his Mercedes were in his pocket.  He swam to shore, hitched a ride to the Marina and realized the electronic key was non-functional. He explained that he would have to retrieve the spare from Mobile and return later that week, and he asked that we not tow his car in the meantime.

 

Too funny!      

 

  “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

Nana Lynne and the boys

Once upon a time Lynne moved to her little house in Alabama and started painting and cleaning. She wanted to repair the damage and neglect from the renters and borrowers. She painted over the scuffs in the bedrooms and washed the grime from the sofas and bedspreads, but she dreamed of new furniture and bright bedding.  

Asher, Clark and Sophie go crabbing

One day the Mattox family called to say they were coming for a visit and Lynne was delighted.  She had never had young children come to visit so she was a little worried about hazards under the sinks, fragile knickknacks,  and dangers on the deck.

Jennifer and Asher at the Marina

But the boys arrived and the fun began.

 There were squeals and screams, runaway crabs, and much laughter and dancing.      

 There was an accident and some spills, but the sofa was old and the carpet was worn, and no one cared.  Everyone was happy.

Clark's first fish

The visit was too short, and the house was too quiet when the boys left. 

For many days Sophie sadly searched the bedroom for Clark and Asher.

And Nana Lynne had an epiphany….    forget new furniture, keep the old and enjoy the children! 

Please come back soon.

 

Leah Bateman helps print Clark's fish

Leah's own flounder print