Kit Cats & Migrating Monarchs

Met this impressive Monarch Butterfly in Hazel's Zinnia Garden. Her wing span was enormous.

Migrating Monarch Butterfly snacking on the Zinnias

Ten days ago I filled my car with the tools of the trade, squeezed Bad Dog into the passengers seat and off we went on my first ever working vacation.

'Been a long time coming... But, some silly fool [that would be my brother] finally agreed to PAY ME to do a landscaping project!

It's a 2 day, hellishly dull drive to my hometown of Wide Spot In The Road, South Dakota.

Lucky for me, I have a good friend who lives half way between Here and No Where.

I just love to visit her gardens because she grows a lot of annuals ~ gorgeous, true blue Morning Glories...

And an all time favorite: Zinnias!

Bright, happy colors, easily grown by seed in a summer garden. Why don't I do this??? Next year... maybe next year.

When you stroll Hazel's gardens you're stalked by the most precious of predators.

They look a little worried because big old Bad Dog is standing right behind me and my camera. BD is scared of kitties though it took them a few minutes to figure that out.

Messy birds planted this Sunflower Garden that stretches 10 feet into the sky. (Can you spot the half moon peering down upon us?)

Zinnias make a delightful dinner for migrating Butterflies.

Last but not least. Meet Cookie. Isn't she the cutest little thing you've ever seen?

Long Live the Snooze Button

Dr. Phil says he likes to "sleep fast so he can wake up and do more stuff." He's always impressed me as maniacal workaholic so I'm not surprised by that.

I'm just like him ~ on Saturdays and also on Sundays. Those other days? Well... that's a whole different ball game.

It's almost a prerequisite that I begin the week by oversleeping on Monday morning. That's because the weekends are so much fun. When the alarm goes off, I just can't get my head around the fact that it's over and I'm facing several days of earning a living before Friday comes around again.

So, I not only sleep late on Mondays. I tend to disappear into my garden for an extra long lunch hour, too.

Look who I met today. A Western Swallowtail Butterfly happily dancing among the Dame's Rocket. It's plentiful in the garden this year and that means I'm harboring a criminal. Experts consider bright purple Dame's Rocket a noxious weed but I don't care. And, neither do the Swallowtails.

It's hard to tell from the photos, but this big bruiser was the size of my hand. Keep butterflies hanging around with a shallow water feature that provides a drink without the danger of drowning. The indentation in a flat rock, filled with a few drops of water is perfect.

* Dame's Rocket can be very invasive in a well-watered garden. Control it by removing spent blooms before it has a chance to go to seed.

** Getting a butterfly to sit still is no easy task. Just ask Gracie, the Shutterbug. She's a real pro at this stuff.

Save the Monarchs!

My Aunt Jan raises Monarch Butterflies. Not in a cage, or anything cruel. Basically, she seeds the wild areas of her land with Milkweed, providing the perfect habitat for little caterpillers.

Monarch Butterflies are easily the most recognized and beloved butterfly in the nation - so it might sadden you to know that these little darlings are being threatened.

A recent Discover Magazine article predicted they wouldn't be around much longer thanks to modern agriculture, industrial and residential land use destroying habitats along their migratory routes.

Every fall, millions of Monarchs from the western U.S. and Canada, migrate to the eucalyptus, monterey pine, and cypress groves of California. (Eastern state Monarchs migrate to Mexico.)

It's an epic journey for such a delicate little creature and this is where you come in.

In spring, they return, mating, breeding, and feeding all along the migratory route.

Because of their short lifespan,* butterflies that reach Canada are often a third generation removed from those that left California.

We can bring them back to plentiful numbers by growing milkweed - a plant critical to the lifecycle of the Monarchs.

Female monarchs can only lay their eggs on milkweed plants. If there is no milkweed, the gals cannot reproduce. Do them a favor and grow at least one milkweed plant in your yard.

Here are 3 good ones to try:

Common Milkweed - (A. syriaca) grows 5 feet tall, with fragrant lavender flowers. Spreads rapidly by rhizomes, so it requires a bit of work to keep it in check.

Butterfly Milkweed - (A. tuberosa) is an Eastern and Southwestern native. Grows to 3 feet with showy orange, red, or yellow flowers. Prefers dry soil.

Showy Milkweed - (A. speciosa) is a tamer, western native. Grows to 4 feet with light pink flowers. Tolerates dry soil.

Do a little shopping at The Milkweed Cafe. Monarchs everywhere will thank you.

Grow a butterfly garden.

* The typical life span for a summer adult is 3-5 weeks. A migrating monarch, from the last generation in summer, can live to the ripe old age of eight months.

I, for one, would hate to see the summer when these beautiful creatures no longer grace our gardens. Let's all pitch in to save the Monarchs.