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Borrego Springs, CA

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Caterpillars and the great lotion caper

Last week, Robyn and Dennis threw a pool party to celebrate Phoebe’s coming second birthday.  I haven’t posted those pictures since I didn’t think the general public would be interested in that.  However, I will post a picture or two of my present to her.  I will preface this by saying that these two grandgirls have everything already that their hearts could desire.

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I scoured my campsite and found three or four teensy-weensy Monarch butterfly caterpillars.  I picked several milkweed leaves, and put them in a big plastic pretzel jug with perforated tin foil on the top.  I wanted Phoebe and Avery to experience the miracle transformations from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly.

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Fast forward to early this morning when I got a frantic call from Robyn to bring her more milkweed plants.  Seems those four little caterpillars have been very busy munching away, and the stalks were pretty bare.  She had even stopped a couple of times during the week to careen to the side of the road on her way to Life Vest appointments to pick milkweed out of the ditch along the highway.  Of course when she did this, little did she know that she added several more little caterpillars to the collection.

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                        TWO LITTLE GIRLS DEEP IN CONVERSATION WITH A CATERPILLAR

Since what goes in a caterpillar has to come out, Robyn cleaned the, now, two jars out while I supervised the animated conversation.  If plants grow better if you talk to them, then I imagine these caterpillars will be enormous.  Winking smile  As she was putting the new leaves and stems into the jars, she gleefully said, “Oh no!  There’s four more new ones on these leaves!”  Egad!  Welcome to the Bell/Lapko monarch maternity ward.  Looks like we’re going to have to start scouring the countryside for milkweed before this is all done.  At this rate, it’s becoming a learning experience gone slightly awry.  Thanks, Robert Burns!  (“The best laid plans of mice and men…”)

As I headed to the laundry room to get this week’s load started, the girls were quietly playing in the play room.  Too quietly, actually.  They had closed the windowed door, but Avery was unable to open it again to get out.  As I opened the door for her and went in, here’s what we found:

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Looks like they found a jar of lotion, and it’s my guess that Avery thought it would be a good idea to help smear it all over Phoebe in copious quantities.  She was covered from head to toe!

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Seems Avery only had it on her hands.  Hmmm.  Never a dull moment with these two firecrackers around.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

21 comments:

  1. What a delightful time. Good grandma. I get to see what my grandsons are up to tomorrow. They are 7 and 10, soon to be 8 and 11.

    Wish I had some caterpillars to take to them.

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  2. I laughed so hard when I read the lotion story. Love the idea of teaching them about caterpillars and butterflies.

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  3. I'm still laughing about the caterpillars and the milkweed! Wonder how many will turn into butterflies?

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  4. Great post! I just had to have my daughter check it out and show her kids. Wonderful science project.
    I remember one or two of my kids doing that with lotion too, but din't have a camera to record it for posterity. Thanks for bringing back those memories.

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  5. Sounds like u are a great grandma!!! I have pics of my 3 yr old son when he discovered my lipstick, great pics and memories!

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  6. Great post! I hope you will have lots of butterflies. What a neat experience.

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  7. Loved the pictures of the girls and the story of the lotion. Can't wait to see the butterflies!!!

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  8. Love those girls and the lotion...and so it goes, eh?? My Monarch died and the ants made a meal of her...and that's Mother Nature....Good for you to expose your grandkids to the flow of nature...

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  9. A great gift. They will remember this a lot longer that anything purchased in a store. A super grandma job!

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  10. Great birthday presents! They seem to be getting a lot of enjoyment out of the caterpillars. They may need a bit more lotion with the next load of milkweed, though.

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  11. I laughed so hard over the caterpillars. Just slightly awry. And the lotion story is almost as funny. Talk about having your hands full.

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  12. What a great idea for a birthday gift and a great blog tonight. Loved the pictures of the lotion caper. Just wait until they decide to cut their own (or each others') hair!!

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  13. How nice to see a gift & thought of Nature as opposed to something electronic or commercial for a change. Good for you in doing that.....

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  14. That is the most awesome birthday gift, much better than anything you could buy for them. :) The lotion story is a hoot, I think all parents (and grandparents) know when it gets too quiet something is going on. Thanks for a great chuckle to start my day.

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  15. That is a wonderful present... I love the idea and may have to use it! If the family keeps growing you may have to move them into a condo ~ I am thinking a huge fish bowl. The lotion story was a hoot. I loved it and the photos!!!
    Have fun & Travel safe
    Donna

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  16. One year, for our daughter's birthday, we took her and her friends to a local nature center for a children's program then fed them carrot cake. Thanks for reminding me of that.

    And the pictures of the lotion reminded me of when our daughter had chicken pox and we dotted her with calamine lotion. :)

    You do have a way of bringing back the memories to all of us. Thanks.

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  17. What a great present for your grandgirls even though it's gone a bit beyond what you planned. Great job grandma.

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  18. what a great treat for the girls to see the caterpillars!!!..now as for the lotion?..well at least they will have soft skin!!

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  19. Oh! I hope we get to see the end results!!!

    I have a very similar story with the twins when they were younger... only it involved vicks and took my breath away when I walked in the room...

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  20. Ditto on all the other comments; great post, great present, great stories, great pictures!

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  21. As a former homeschooler I LOVE your gift to the girls! Nothing like the gift of curiosity!

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