Test this, test that...

I have been absent for the past few days because I have been spending my days treating my sore spots after being rear ended last week. I have been monitoring my symptoms closely and I've gone to the doctor AND physical therapy.

I believe I'm going to be fine. However that doesn't stop the testing and testing and testing and testing and... do this exercise and do this stretch and do that exercise and do a cold compress and do a warm compress...and do it every two hours. AND call this doctor and that doctor for more testing because "you may have some nerve damage"...etc, etc.

Oh goodness gracious.

Sooooo...I decided to do some testing of my own. And that testing would be over things that I enjoy. I took pictures for the blog via my phone. The reason I'm testing is because I have taken pictures previously and didn't like the way they looked in a blog post. I've used my phone camera directly, the blogger app camera, and the Instagram app.

Believe me. This post is more just for me so I can feel more comfortable to post pictures from my phone in the future.  I mean how could this "photographer" share snapshots that the reader can't even make out what it is?

Oh the humanity!!!

So for now, a test. Here are the pictures of our milkweed in full bloom. Goodness how I wish there was a smell-a-vision app because these smell AMAZING!

We had to say "Goodbye"

Wasps have been circling around our milkweed for a few days and our girl was very worried about the baby caterpillars.  We know that they are a favorite food for these insectivores.  We also knew we were leaving for the beach in a few days and there was no way we would be able to care for the babies while gone.

There is no such thing as a "Caterpillar Sitting Service".

Cats and dogs, yes. But baby Monarchs?

No.

So we decided that nature would have to run its course with these little ones and we hoped and prayed all would turn out well.

Yesterday afternoon the caterpillars went missing. This morning we double checked the plants and sure enough we found evidence of their capture. The girl and I looked at each other with a sadness but acceptance.

We had to say goodbye.

We are proud parents...again!

Today our very first Monarch caterpillars of the season hatched.  It's official, we have two, first instar babies.  They are so cute and I am goo-goo and ga-ga-ing over them.

Although the girl is watching over the milkweed plants like a hawk and shoo-ing off every creature that comes by, she is still reprimanding me for saying "coochie-coos" over the babes.

But seriously, how can I resist? These are the first babies from the overwintering Monarchs that left Mexico about eight weeks ago.

I mean LQQK!

Just about 2mm in length

SO CUTE!

We did not register anywhere, nor did we plan a baby shower, nor are these going in the nursery.  We are trusting in the way God planned out nature to take care of these little ones so they can make their trip north to places like New York or Canada. We'll be taking care of their grand-babies come late Summer and early Fall.

I'm just so giddy.

Blessings for your day,

The bar has been set

So yesterday I wrote about lifting my eyes and my spirit by actually setting a goal so low, that I could reach it.

The bar has been set...and the clock has started.

Here we go.

I'm thankful for the example of perseverance in others or even in nature. I give you the Common Milkweed, Asclepias Syriaca.  This little tender shoot is growing right smack dab in the middle of our yard.

To which you could easily ask, "What's the big deal? Don't you grow milkweed anyway?"

Yes, yes we do. But we have an area where we grow them so they are not mowed down like this one will be.  As a matter of fact, it will be mowed down a few times this summer...as it was mowed down last year. It just keeps coming back, like most weeds do. However, if you know me, you know the significance of this particular plant.  It is the sole source of food for the Monarch Butterfly and if you know even a little about the Monarch, you know that it has a long journey every year from its wintering grounds in Mexico to parts as far as Canada during the summer months.

Along the way they need this plant but unfortunately many of the vast fields where the milkweed has grown freely have been almost eliminated by human population or soybean and corn crops. It's not necessarily a bad thing but what is sad is that these plants can grow alongside roads and in parks but they are cut down.

And the Monarchs' numbers are dropping. Drastically.

Of course there are other factors as well, but for the Monarchs that do survive, they need milkweed to lay their eggs.  No other plant will do for their hungry little caterpillars.

Here's the genius part. These different varieties of milkweed, with the common milkweed being the most nutritious (as I'm told), are just that --weeds. They will grow almost anywhere and they multiply like crazy. They come back, year after year, mow after mow. They are persistent plants and they have a sole purpose -- to continue the life cycle of the Monarch.  It's almost like God knew. [wink, wink]

What?!

He knew mankind would flourish and fill the earth, after all God did command it. He knew the fragile life cycle of the Monarch would be compromised at some point. So in turn, God planned ahead and made the Monarch and the Milkweed partners. He provided the migratory encoding and the wintering grounds. All the Monarch has to do is wait out the winter and God would provide a resilient little plant that can stand as tall as 4ft in some places.

The smallest of smalls isn't so small when it has a purpose.

And no matter where I am planted, I have a purpose.  If negative thought mows me down, I need to remember persistence, just like the common milkweed, and keep coming back. I can give thanks to God for the now, and not concern myself with what I am missing out on.

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers -- most of which are never even seen -- don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works, fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." Mt 6:30-33 (MSG)

Suffering produces perseverance and perseverance produces character. And if beauty is truly on the inside, then may my character be as beautiful as the Monarch butterfly in the hands of someone who loves it very much.

Blessings for your day,




all photos taken by Lisa Arnold with my Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 14 Megapixel 12X Optical Zoom Black Digital