Tag Archives: butterflies

On Nature, Loss, and Signs

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Butterfly art ©S.Kalish 9/22 On the day that my friend/colleague/school principal passed, I had a dream. In fact it was early in the day, a day dream. This has happened to me many times. I was, in my thoughts, in a meeting with my team and the principal. A typical meeting, our group would meet for the purpose of helping children. And in that daydream I wondered. I thought that the other members of this team have been gone for many years. Sylvia. Jerry. I thought about the principal and what a wonderful man he was. Later in the day … Continue reading →

2d. Garden: Flowers, Bugs & Butterflies, 2020: Transformation to Butterfly

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And then one day, and sometimes for many days, you find a treasure, usually in the morning; sometimes several treasures. One day 4 pupae eclosed.   So far this season: We were able to raise and release 20 butterflies of about 23 since June. One little caterpillar just couldn’t make it. Two pupae remained behind and never “eclosed.” Here is a compendium of moments   Let’s go to the movies. The mother butterfly looks for a place to lay her eggs. Once she lays them, on parsley or dill, that is what they will eat. No mixing and matching. I … Continue reading →

2c. Garden: Flowers, Bugs & Butterflies, 2020: Pupae to Transformation

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At this stage, the caterpillar would begin the next cycle on an outdoor plant. It would be prey to birds and insects and would be subject to the weather. Many do not make it to the next cycle. Some don’t even make it under our protection, but so far this season, we have made a heroic effort. We constructed a “tree”: We put twigs in a flower pot and place the caterpillar that is ready to begin its transformation here. They wander around the pot and the twigs, sometimes for hours until they find their final resting place as a … Continue reading →

2b. Garden: Flowers, Bugs & Butterflies, 2020: Pillars To Pupae

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munchkin   We’ve gone from a tiny, barely visible egg through several moltings and growth to get to the stage above. They eat and eat and literally gorge themselves on the type of leaves they were initially laid upon which we have to provide. (We try to buy organic).           And then this: After the gorging process, they cannot eat any more. The signal is expelling (not sure from which end) the last meal. The caterpillar is ready to become a pupa and to begin the final part of its journey. To be continued here

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Nurture Nature: Garden Updates

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 Butterflies  The 7th butterfly began emerging, spontaneously and the liquid soup he was part of spilled out onto the pot. What was happening?   2.   Cactus  There is Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus and even Easter cactus; this guy thinks he’s a Halloween cactus.     3.  Snails    Sheldon and Swirl try to take the subway.  

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Nurture Nature: The Butterfly Project: Transformation: #4

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  When you least expect it. The day began with mother-issues (the aide didn’t show). It took a few hours for things to resolve … Anxiety over having to get into Manhattan for a medical appointment in a predicted rain storm. The rain never came … I let Hèrmes, our “community kitty,” in for breakfast, and in passing the butterfly house, I was surprised, if not gifted with the fourth butterfly. We NEVER expected any more emerging beauties at this time of year, we anticipated having to wait until next Spring. Nature knows. Somehow. In this narrow window of opportunity … Continue reading →