Everyone knows that I am NOT good at growing roses....................look what I found on my rose stem.........yeah, not a rose bush, a rose stem! Beautiful!!
My oldest "Big Kid" came up from Daytona Beach this past Friday. She brought my "Grandturtle". You read that right....She and her boyfriend bought a Red Footed Tortoise from a private breeder....you read that right too! This is the 'tortoise' eating organic greens. This is one spoiled tortoise....heat lamp, mister, speciality foods...........They live on the 6th floor of an apartment complex with this tortoise. It doesn't have a name, we call it Turty...
We waited for her to release the last three Monarch butterflies that we raised. The whole family enjoyed this....(look at all of my barefoot kids)
To answer a few questions about how we did this. We rescued the Caterpillars off of the Milkweed. Put them in the Butterfly cage with a narrow top bottle filled with water and cut fresh milkweed everyday for them to eat until they were ready to form their chrysalis'.
Yes you can order caterpillars through the mail. That's how we got started...with Painted Ladies. Insectlore.com has some great insect projects. This is where our butterfly cage was purchased.
We also celebrated the 2nd oldest 'Big Kid's' birthday on Labor Day. He is 23 now~~~~. The oldest 'Big Kid's' birthday was August 30.......she is 25... The weird kid in the Christmas T-shirt will be 15 the 18th of this month.......explains alot doesn't it?
In between all of this ...I have stenciled.....
stenciled....
sewn curtains....
pillows and a bed cover....and have seeds started for fall planting for early spring color....
I will be posting one of the 'Medium Kids' bedroom tomorrow......painting and sewing has been done in there as well.......am I finished.............NO!
30 comments:
Gorgeous work Darla! Love that the big kids feel right at home outside barefoot.
Looks like you have been having all kinds of fun!
Love the bedroom set and the curtains.
You are one industrious lady! The painting looks fantastic. The monarchs even better. I will look into getting my own next year. You have a lovely family and a bunch of Happy Birthdays go your way.
Love those stencils. Adds a special touch.
I've enjoyed watching your butterfly project. I'd like to try something like that.
Marnie
Happy Birthday to the whole family?? Does that cover it? Your family is just precious. You are a very busy woman. I love seeing the butterflies. That truly is a miracle. I love seeing all of your projects. You are making me want to sew some curtains.
Looks like you have been a busy body Darla. Like the stencil work. I've done some of that before. I didn't find it too easy.
Darla: Fun post, the family is beautiful. I really enjoyed the tortoise and I'm sure it will be pampered.
Hi Darla...glad to know you and your family had fun...loved the butterfly project idea...and the stencil too...
Keep posting..!
What an interesting post. I thoroughly enjoyed the butterfly release.
I did that once with Lady Bugs and another time, instead of waiting on them to hatch I ordered some and when I opened the box, a million of them flew out. I never saw so many in my life. And, in one day they were no bugs on my property. Neighbors said they had plenty of them. lol
Thanks for your visit to my Pick a Peck of Pixels Blog and for your comment there about Japanese trains and the toilets. And your visit helps me get closer to my original goal: 10,000 visits. Pick a Peck of Pixels
You certainly have been busy, but everything you've done looks wonderful. Your grandturtle must be as spoiled as my grandkitties are.
P.S. My 'honey-do' list is too long for me to get away for a month.
Gosh Darla, I feel so lazy after seeing your post. Everything looks so nice!
What joy to watch butterflies birthing. They are so beautiful.
Your bedroom decor is lovely.
Have lovely day. TTFN ~Marydon
You've been one busy lady! The stenciling looks really nice! Congrats on the beautiful rose!
Happy Birthday to all the Kids. Your rose smells sweet I bet. Loved your butterflys it was a treat.
I could not upload pictures today hope it is google and not me.
Patsy
You have been a very busy girl. I think your butterfly experiment was so wonderful to watch. Your stencil work and redecorating looks so pretty.
you are one busy lady! your projects look fantastic!
I would name my turtle (if they were not illegal here) WAX....I have always said that! get it? Turtle Wax?
yea...I know...silly.
go ahead and use it if you like...lol
I think you did a neat thing with the butterflies too...how interesting to watch!
I once got Beta Fish to mate...then got to see the male "mother" the little ones to maturity...it was very cool to watch the whole thing too....but a LOT of work for me!
Looks like you are keeping as busy as me, but still maintaining a blog. I on the other hand, am no longer maintaining a blog at any regular time frames. Don't know how you do all that you do. The stencil looks great.
hi ! I have never met a Grandma to a turtle before! Nice to meet you..you are one bust lady..and you sew! I loved the butterfly posts they were very exciting for me, I must order one of those houses..I have jotted down the info..Thanks! And your Rose is lovely:)
Hi Darla, I'm sorry life has gotten so busy that I haven't had time to comment but I do love to visit! It sure looks like you have been having a fun and busy summer...congrats on the grand turtle :)
I read your comment on how to get to part 2 of my garden tour...I don't know if you are reading only one post at a time in google reader or not but it is the post directly below part one (so the older of the two). If you go directly to the blog here you should be able to see all the garden tours. http://www.marsha-garden.blogspot.com/
Hi Darla, You "labored" much too hard over the Labor Day weekend. I'm sure it was nice to have all of the kiddos home. You have a great looking group!!!! I know you are proud of each and every one of them.
And --your creativity goes much farther than gardening. I love your bed set and curtains --and your stenciling. Wow!!!! You continue to impress me.
Glad you have a rose blooming.... Hooray!
Hugs,
Betsy
Hi Thanks for commenting on my blog and I love your butterflies.
What a lovely family you have, Darla! I know how much you love them too! The monarch was indeed a miracle! It was like watching slow motion video if you scrolled quickly through the photos. Thanks for doing that for us to see too. Happy birthday to all! The turtle story is pretty amazing as well. :-)
Frances
you never stop do you dear darla...if you did you might just sleep. great job on the sewing. love that all the kids want to help in the release of you butterflies.
happy september.
Great photo of the barefooted kids and the Monarch perched on a finger..cool! Your family is beautiful, Darla!
What a great idea w/ the butterflies! I'm glad you posted that link - I would love to raise some! Your stenciling is beautiful!
You've been busy! I didn't know we could order caterpillars! I will share this with my niece and her adorable children! gail
What a beautiful post. Luved seeing all those barefeet in the garden releasing Monarchs. Think I'll visit insectlore.com and see what I can find to do with my grandson. Oh, Turty is the best name.
You have been busy! How fun you all got to release the butterflies together.
I love all the work you've been doing. You can do it all! :)
It looks like you have one big happy family there. I bet it's fun having them all home together.
Well, you have really been lazy haven't you?? Beautiful photos:)
You are the bestest sweetest mom! I love the butterfly release and all the barefoot kiddos. And your stenciling is so classy. That's exactly how your makeover turned out--classy. I do love black.
I am going backwards reading your blog and wanted to say that so glad and thankful your sick one is doing better and I liked your attitude about the swine flu. You didn't panic!
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