Summer's Curtain Call

I know its been a while. We have been busy savoring the last scenes of summer--the wonderful ending and beginning, the in between seasons time--where it seems one day is summer and the next is Fall. This last month we have savored I think more thankfully than prior summers as we spent most of our summer sick. ( Honestly, I do not think we as a family started summer till August)...such a shame where summer is so short. But we are so incredibly thankful...

for awesome farms to play at...

did I mention I want a baby goat? I am so in love with this little one. I want one--silly city of Auburn doesn't allow "hooved" creatures within city limits...ah well a girl can dream...

Oh and this has been our month long project: Monarchs!! The boys started canvassing the milkweed patch down the road about mid-August. They did this everyday for about two weeks and we became the proud parents of 10 monarch caterpillars. We have loved watching them munch and grow and then turn into a chrysalis and then burst open.  We have learned so much---for instance did you know they do not "weave" their chrysalis? In fact their skin splits open and the green chrysalis emerges as the old caterpillar skin is folded in.

the last caterpillar--shortly after this photo she ventured up to the netting and spun her hook, hung herself in a "J" and just this morning finally changed into a chrysalis. 

The monarchs that emerge in the next few weeks will be the ones that make a long trek--they fly to Mexico for the winter and then return to lay eggs in the spring. It blows my mind when I think of these beautiful, fragile butterflies flying thousands of miles. It makes me feel such awe for our Creator.

I adore sunflowers. We grow them every year and I have passed that love to my boys. I love the vibrant color and the amazing seed patterns.

the most recent monarch to emerge...