Here is some "stuff" (lovely Florida pollen) that I have to say I hate. I don't use the word hate often (and never around my kids), but this stuff I do. I can't think of a good reason for it. I'm sure it's needed somehow in our ecosystem just like cockroaches or termites or something, but this stuff makes me gag...literally! For those of you who live in Florida, you know what I'm talking about. The pollen counts have been out the window this past week and myself and our kids have been suffering tremendously from it, like never before. We have an entire pharmacy in our kitchen, I'm not kidding. We're on Albuterol breathing treatments around the clock, taking Claritin (love this stuff) and Augmentin (a stronger version of amoxacillin (also love this stuff) for some major sinus infections which they both have. We have the runny noses, itchy, watery and gunky eyes (Lincoln's were swollen shut today poor boy!), dry coughing and wheezing from asthma and we're CRANKY. I think that sums it up. =) All from this lovely pollen. So, although I know God is in charge of how our earth works and everything in it, I do think this may be a question I ask Him in eternity, "God, why is pollen necessary?" The amazing thing is that none of this is contagious, just everyone has it. Let's all pray for rain okay? =)
On a side note...we're also ready to begin watching the exciting process of metamorphasis take place in the Bates house. I stopped at Home Depot to pick up some things to get rid of our squirrel and rat problem in our attic (mesh wire to block around our sofits of our house and steel wool to block up other holes) and splurged on two milkweed plants covered in Monarch butterfly eggs. Now is the time (from now until May - which is the best month to find the most eggs) to start looking for them when you're at the park, the Home Depot/Lowe's or your local nursery. We did this experiment last year and actually built a butterfly house in our backyard to maintain all our butterflies. It's really neat and the kids get a kick out of it. You can go large scale with it or just buy a few plants with a couple eggs and watch it happen on your kitchen counter. Happy hunting!
Here are three eggs (the little cream specs on the leaves) that will change dark in color and hatch out caterpillars in approx. 3 days.
Here are what the flower buds look like when they're still closed. They look beautiful when open, they're just not a large bloom so you wouldn't want to decorate your whole yard in them for cosmetic looks. Plus the fact that you'll be attracting lots of Monarch butterflies, hence eggs, hence caterpillars eating up all your plants!
This is the best milkweed you'll want to obtain to feed your hungry caterpillars.
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