First you need an understanding family! Growing caterpillars poop a LOT! I cover my dining room table with a plastic cloth and also put newspapers down so I can roll up a layer at a time. I just cut the stalks and put them in vases on the table. The process started tonight because I had to pull the stalks that were blocking the view of my Oriental Lilies. When I checked the pulled stalks I found one 1/4 inch caterpillar and several eggs. Without rhyme or reason, some cut stalks wilt immediately and others stay fresh for days in vases. The caterpillars eat and poop, eat and poop for 2 weeks. While they are little, I just leave them on the milkweed in vases on the table. They will shed their skin 3 times until they look like the one in the picture above. Last year I had way more than I wanted to care for because every time I cut fresh stalks to bring in I also brought in more eggs that hatched quite nicely. Most of the caterpillars were happy enough to form their chrysalis on the milkweed--mostly because the vase blocked their escape. However, a few managed to escape. If I found them crawling I moved them to critter cage (plastic box with air holes). Two formed their chrysalis on the underside of the table and another crawled into the living room, up a table and used the inside of a lampshade. I never knew when I was going to find a butterfly trying to get out a window. When formed on a milkweed leaf, I cut the leaf and used twisties to attach the leaf to my wire fence outside. I had a good 20 or so hanging at one point. My son passed others out to his friends with children and I took several to the nursing home where my mother lives for the residents to enjoy. They emerge as butterflies about 10-14 days after forming the chrysalis. The day or so before you'll start to see the black body through the membrane. Once the butterfly emerges, it will have small limp wings and a very fat body. It will slowly pump the fluids from its body into its wings--you can watch the body pulsing as the wings grow larger. (It will 'poop' out several drops of rusty red fluid that looks like blood--don't worry, it's normal.) Then it will hang for several hours until the wings harden. When it opens its wings, watch for a pronounced dot on the lower wing. No dot=female, dot=male. That's when you get to name it a 'royal' name. One year we had a tiny caterpillar that made a tiny chrysalis and became a tiny butterfly--he had a dot so we named him King Tut. Some caterpillars actually have personalities that demand names before they even make their chrysalis. We've had Shy, Charger, and several named Houdini. Have fun! Here is a link that might be useful: monarch pics--some with the male dot

Pam actually the one I have growing behind the house that gets not that much afternoon sun at all and lots of water..grew into a fairly nice sized plant! Elizabeth the WE turned out to be great already when I went and finally bought a new stove today. Been cooking with only the 2 small burners. Big ones were broken. I guess now I have less time to spend here because I got to start cooking again rofl. Haase that is how it all started for me too ha ha ha Kylie I love the crinium Lily. Everything is growing so nicely!! Even the Santa Rosa that I though hubby did not take care of well enough and it did not root...is really putting out new growth now with all the rain. WOW I love the rain. But not all the fire ant hills popping up everywhere!! Lucy

Kasha what a sweet *reward* for posting the POTD for everyone and hoping that it will do some good to at least ONE of you each day. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Princealbert and his sweet wife Betty today. What a treat it was! One day I really want to meet so many of you, that if ever there will be a nationwide get together...I will be there. Until then...I have to start with smaller get togethers like swaps lol Caren I am glad you like them too lol Who needs tea right? lol Pat so glad you had time for tea. I was so hung up in downloading scrapbook things from a PSP group, that when princealbert called...I had to tell him that I am still not dressed roflmao Yes it is one of the new hibiscus' I bought in spring from a co op. they finally started growing a while ago and have shown their beauty to me a few times. Wait until you see that black dragon photo!! Eloise most of these hibiscus' have very thick roundish leaves. Not really lots of them on most lol. Ingrid what a joy it was to hear from you again. Sorry that it is so cold there. But just remember what beautiful temps you are coming back home to :-) I would not worry about your angel. It always works out. Even when at first you get a shock...like I did twice after coming back from Florida...but everything is fixable!! One way or another. Tim do I smell a possible trade I can share with you after all? You know I am desperately looking for something to give back to you for all the wonderful plants you shared and sharing with me. Lucy

Well, I am still here, I spent the day at the doctors offices, and hospital with my son. I did not get home until 6pm, and I was too tried to drive to the coast. I am so glad I was off so that I could be there for my son. I have my car packed and ready to go, I am leaving as soon as I wake up. I have left instructions with my hubby to do a porch check every day when he gets home. He has been given instructions, and he knows what to do in case Santa comes. Barbra,