Some surprises are more welcome than others.
When Grant got home the other day after taking the car to be serviced, I could tell from his whole stance, never mind his face, that he was displeased.
He’d already phoned me about the bird and mice debris that had to be removed from the engine. The $108 fee was nominal, compared to previous mouse expenses!
So it wasn’t that.
Just as he turned off the main road onto our lane, a rock fell off a speeding truck and smacked dead centre into our windshield.
Funny. We had been commenting how in Washington State windshield chips were so common you could get them repaired on many street corners.
When I was first there, I couldn’t work out what “ROCK CHIP REPAIR” was. But I soon found out. For some reason though, it always seemed to happen to Grant!
That’s what we get for saying that we had been here 3 years without getting a damaged windshield.
Apparently it’s quite common everywhere, judging by how easily one can get it sorted out. A nice young lad turned up promptly this morning and 45 minutes later we had a new windshield, all costs covered by my insurance.
Come to think of it, that was a good surprise!
It would be better if trucks secured their loads.
.
Late yesterday, I had another Sunday surprise. I went to do my afternoon walkabout which includes checking on caterpillars and most particularly the chrysalises (now 3).
As I came around the corner of the house, I caught a flash of orange in the Siberian tea.
No! It had only been a week. I had just worked out that I had another week to worry….but there she was!
Madama Butterfly! (?)
From here 
to here 
to here?
All in a week! It seemed impossible.
Actually, as it turned out it was…impossible…
…and that was another surprise.
The original chrysalis is still in place!
It turned out that there had been another, concealed under the big Siberian tea leaves. The ideal safe place!
Not so sure about these two
.
Our little lady spent the night under her leaf, adjusting to her new form and then this morning she prepared for her maiden flight.
She paused to say “adieu” and I wished her well.
Feeling curiously emotional.
How to describe the delight of having followed this process, almost from the very beginning, when we noticed the incoming Monarchs landing to deposit their eggs on the milkweed, and then the tiny caterpillars that grew so fast.
Of course I can’t say that I followed the progress from the actual egg, or even from a particular tiny caterpillar. Those guys I have discovered, move about a lot and fast!
But I did see the creation of the chrysalis that still hangs beneath that leaf and I do so hope that in a week I shall once again catch a flash of orange.
Her beautiful profile! Her tiny feet! Her elegant legs! Her astonishing wings!
(It could be a Monsieur Butterfly, I don’t know how to tell.)
Amazing! What a privilege to witness
Yes!
Looks like a female to me. Dividing lines on wings are wider on females, quite thin on males.
It felt like a “she”!
I think she is ‘she’🙂 so gracious. The photos so beautiful
Beautiful light, beautiful day, lovely images Yeti.
Beautiful monarchs, lucky you!
Amazing to see this beautiful lady before she leaves on her long journey. I love that you even got a shot of her tiny feet. You are a wonderful photographer.
Oh, thank you!
Wow, I love your close-up shots of your “little lady” … I can actually see the detail on her legs and wings!
She was beautiful.