Beautiful Monarch

This morning at 5:15 am a new monarch 

emerged from it's Chrysalis.

We had been watching it grow

 from a minute caterpillar to a very fat, 

yellow and black striped eating machine.

Then one morning, just a week ago,

 it spun a web and closed itself away in it's chrysalis.

It only took a couple of hours.

Just one short week later it emerged

 - a fully fledged, beautiful creation.

Such a quick transformation.

At lunch time today the residents where I work, 

set it free in the garden, 

where it attached itself to a Magnolia tree 

outside the dining room window.

It spent the afternoon drying and spreading its wings.

What a blessing.

Unfortunately my photo's didn't turn out 

so I've had to cheat and take some 

from the internet. I hope you don't mind.

Diana

Boston, Mass.

A hint of Autumn

I was taking a friend home from 

an appointment yesterday 

when I noticed all of the leaves 

that had fallen into the gutter near her place.

I love it when the leaves begin to fall.

Of course the temperature tends to fall with them, 

but it still very nice in the afternoons. 

Once the sun has come around a bit 

 it pours in through our lounge window. 

We are lucky enough to face north west.

When the grands were smaller 

we would go out and kick the leaves around

 and throw them at each other. 

Great fun!

One thing with the falling temps, 

I now have a valid excuse for hot puddings.

So later yesterday I picked the last of my rhubarb 

and stewed it and we had it with custard after tea.

Not a lot of colour in the rhubarb but it tasted good. 

I didn't have any cream or ice cream to go with it, 

but never mind - we enjoyed it.

Wishing you all a great week

wherever you may be.

Diana

A wee cutie...

...came visiting in the last couple of weeks.

Isn't she sweet? 

That's how we first saw her at our place, 

peeping out from under the car.

She was born around the Christmas/New Year period, 

and we saw her when she was only a few weeks old. 

Her mother brought her and her brother/sister out

 to play in the sun in the next door neighbours yard.

Then they disappeared. 

About a fortnight ago she plucked up the courage 

to come onto our back steps and eat the scraps

 our Claude had left.

No sign of Mum or the other kitten.

This is how she looked, 

all head and a scrawny little body.
A real little bag of bones.

A little scrap of life and very timid.

Claude was very good, 
sometimes he even let her eat first, 

so we decided she must be a girl.

We didn't think he would tolerate 

a young tom cat quite so well.

We started to feed her, Claude disciplined her 

a couple of times when she still tried to get 

his tucker first, but he never hurt her.

Today it was time to take her to the SPCA 

so she could get a new home.

This is how she looked after a couple of weeks of good tucker,

still a little bit thin but much filled out,

letting us pick her up and pet her.

I was a bit sad to leave her behind 

but she'll be well looked after, have all her shots, 

be desexed etc before she is sold

 to someone who'll love her. 

And we definitely do not want

 (or need) 

another kitten, no matter how cute.

I hope you are all enjoying a lovely Easter,

Diana

A poem for Palm Sunday.

 The Donkey

by G. K. Chesterton

When fishes flew and forests walked

And figs grew upon thorn,

Some moment when the moon was blood

Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry 

And ears like errant wings,

The devil's walking parody 

On all four footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth, 

Of ancient crooked will;

Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb, 

I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears, 

And palms before my feet.

Blessings to all as we head into Holy Week.

Diana

St. Paddy's Day

I remember as a child quite a fuss 

being made about St Patrick's Day.

Especially about wearing something green.

Grandad especially used to have us on about it,

 just in a joking sort of way.

Maybe it's because we lived in what I always

 think of as the catholic part of town.

There was always a St Patrick's Day concert in 

the evening in the school hall which was just down the road,

 alongside the schools, the church,

 the convent and the Marist brothers.

We were one of three protestant families in the street 

but no-one cared, least of all the kids.

So tomorrow I will wear a little piece o' green...

and remember St Patrick, and  my Grandad...

 and think a little of my childhood days.

A happy St. Paddy's Day to you all.

Diana

Just a little bit spoilt...

...that's how I'm feeling today.

I'll show you why.

I arrived home on Monday to find this

 pamper basket on the doorstep,

 a birthday gift from my eldest grandson.

It is filled with bath time smellies 

and creams and soaps and such. 

 He knows I love to relax in the bath.

It was all tied up with a lovely little posy of flowers.

Then today as we were finishing tea

 there was a knock at the door, 

and my GKB walked back inside carrying this -

 

- a lovely bouquet of flowers from 

 his boss, who apologised for it being late.

Totally unexpected.

Wasn't that a lovely thing to do?

With the book and necklace, from daughters,  

and phone call from Japan 

plus the family barbecue last weekend,

 I'm feeling very spoilt.

Have a great week everyone,

Diana