If you know me or have been reading my blog, then you know that this is the time of year the Monarch butterflies make their way down to Mexico.   I moved to Nashville last December.  This Spring I had to start my butterfly garden all over again and I don't have a lot of flowers.   I was not sure I would have many monarchs this year but 2 years ago I raised 150 butterflies.  

 A few weeks ago I found the first eggs and two days ago one of the caterpillars made it's way to the top of the butterfly box to make it's chrysalis..

We have 4 "cats" that have been eating milkweed faster than I can get it to them.

This is tropical Milkweed it is also known as butterfly weed.  This really attracts the butterflies.  It grows normal seed pods that pop open and has the silky hair that carries the seed into the wind.  

This is a new milkweed that I ordered.  They said it was from South Africa.     It has these  white flowers,  but the pods are really different!

They look like something from a Dr. Seuss book, Who Ville.   I can't wait to see what the seeds look like inside..... 

So the Monarch season has started... I am looking forward to helping as many monarchs as I can, get  to Mexico for the winter.  Then the journey starts all over again in the Spring. 

Look what I can see from my front porch....

This was the prettiest sunset!

And does anyone know what the name of this Fruit is?  It is falling from a neighbors tree and it is all over our yard... It is normally bright green..   

 

Here is a little something from my backyard.  

This is some of my Milkweed that is originally from South Africa.  

Camille was thrilled with this... It is really too funny!!!

I have a cat that stays outside.  Her name is Lily.   Most mornings she either looks like this:

Totally worn out from her adventures of the night before,  (Look at her doesn't even care that she is about to fall out of the chair. )   or she acts like she is starving to death. 

A little while ago I found out what was up with the missing food and her late night adventures....  but last night I got proof....

Lily has a friend..

"Pssst...  Hey Lily... ," whispered the young opossum.  " Do you have any food left for me tonight? "

"Oh hey!"  Yawned Lily.  " I left you some in the bowl.  My person changed the food a few days ago and it tastes ok... the other stuff is better but this stuff is eatable  Did you sleep good today?"   said Lily scratching her head as a small flea ran away from her back claw.

"Cool...  you have a great person...  I slept pretty good..  I sure do wish that dog next door would stop barking at everything that moves.  He keeps waking me up."  Said the opossum between bites of cat food.  He turns the bowl over a little every time he gets a bite and the bowl makes a noise when it falls back down.   " What did you do today?"

"Not much...  laid in this chair for a while...  ate some food,   almost caught that blue tailed lizard (one day he will be mine!) and laid in the neighbor's chair to drive that dog crazy." Smiled Lily.

"You up for coming out with me tonight?  I have a bunch of new garbage cans to look in."  Smacked opossum with his mouth full of food.

"Sure as long as we don't get shot at again at that one house down the street..."  smirked Lily

Just Great! You think you raise your cats right and then you find out they are running around with Opossums all night... 

That opossum is not the only animal that Lily is sharing her food with.    Our inside cat Trixie, who wishes she was an outside cat like Lily goes crazy when this happens:

She will sit at the window and give the evil eye to this little guy...

He looks at Trixie through the window and laughs...  " You can't catch me!"  

But this little guy and it's friends are also eating the cat food.... Let me tell you we have very healthy wild animals around here..

Hi Little guy...  is your breakfast yummy??   

But Trixie hates that they are on the porch....

"You are so lucky that there is glass between you and me... If I could get to you I would have you for lunch!" 

The Squirrel just laughs... laughs...

Good thing Trixie has not seen the opossum...