Among the more inane things I do upon seeing certain roses, is to utter particular words or phrases -- some of which happen to be song lyrics. There are three of the roses linked below planted next to my compost bin. Every single time I visit that distant part of the garden and see her ever-present and always cheerful blooms, I spontaneously greet her by saying, "Well, coo coo ca-choo to you!" A somewhat wacky lyric fragment from a really terrific song . . . The gardener's compulsive utterances, however, probably qualify as being stupid. Here is a link that might be useful: Apologies to Simon & Garfunkel

Thanks, Bernergrrl! It was so bittersweet releasing them especially my little miss "bad boy". I got to provide the instructional link for "downed chrysalis" you gave me to another forum poster who had a BST whose girdle broke and was hanging by his little tush attachment. "Pay It Forward" is a nice way to go through life. I've still got the last chrysalis (brown) hanging in enclosure and I sure hope he doesn't go into diapause and overwinter. I'll be worried all winter about him out in the garage but I read it's better not to bring them in the house because higher temps could lead them to eclose when you've got nowhere to release them since it's winter in the NE! You've been a doll just like your little one and I thank you. Mechelle, it seems like the gulf coast and CA have bumper crops of butterflies of so many varieties. My father keeps telling me the same thing MCronin reminded us of this week...we think there are less butterflies at this time because we forget most activity in some parts of US takes place toward Fall. I hope so because I haven't seen a single Monarch yet this year. For me, except for one male Eastern Swallowtail, the BSTs are the only ones I've seen so far this year not counting the dozens of Cabbage Whites nectaring like there's no tomorrow. Once I spot a butterfly I follow him/her around the yard just to watch. Love it. I used to travel to Texas a few times a year for business when I worked for a company that supplied industrial heat exchangers...don't ask...LOL. Annually attended Petro-Chem and Oil shows at AstroDome as booth vendor...what a pain. It was the 70s and a female in that world wasn't exactly run of the mill except standing on a rotating stage showing off some huge piece of equipment...and I don't have the "equipment" to stand on a rotating stage...LOL. I'll never forget my first time coming out the door of the plane onto the tarmac at the Houston airport and immediately being drenched in perspiration from the heat and humidity. Then you go inside an over airconditioned building and get chills. Once spent a "charming" day climbing all around machinery and hoses at bleach factory along ship channel. Not thinking before I went out there with sales rep I didn't wear (or have with me) older shoes so my heels were ruined by bleach leaking all over the place...LOL. It was a rough and tumble business back them but I learned a lot about those industries and there's not much I'm not curious about and happy to learn more. Is it warm enough in your part of Texas for butterflies to eclose most/all year round? If not will your new BSTs go into diapause like they do up here in NE? I learned about 15 years ago from a person raised in Amarillo that it gets very cold and snows up in that part of the state. Well, you'll be a busy mama for a while with all those little ones. Think I'll go check the parsley again...ya never know...LOL. Thanks for your kind comments. This is a warm forum and it's so nice to find a place in this world where people are welcoming, encouraging, supportive and have sense of wonder & lots of humor. Guess if you care about these little guys who turn into beautiful creatures of nature and take the trouble to raise them then that caring carries over into other parts of life for many people. Makes me glad and appreciative. Butterflies take the naturally occurring "gloomy" out of a lot of pockets of people's lives. Trust me...if I find anymore cats there'll be more long missives of my experiences. I just got to find me at least ONE Monarch egg or cat! I already have all the rearing supplies and plenty of Milkweed. :)

Hard Candy~ Artist:Counting Crows On certain Sundays in November When the weather bothers me I empty drawers of other summer's Where my shadows used to be She is standing by the water As her smile begins to curl In this or any other summer She is something all together different Never just an ordinary girl And in the evenings on Long Island When the colors start to fade She wears a silly yellow hat That someone gave her when she stayed I didn't think that she returned it We left New York in a whirl Time expands and then contracts When you are spinning In the grips of someone Who is not an ordinary girl When you sleep You find your mother in the night But she stays just out of sight So there isn't any sweetness in the dreaming And when you wake the morning covers you with light And it makes you feel alright But it's just the same hard candy You're remembering again You send your lover off to China Then you wait for her to call You put your girl up on a pedestal Then you wait for her to fall I put my summer's back in a letter And I hide it from the world All the regrets you can't forget Are somehow pressed upon a picture In the face of such an ordinary girl When you sleep You find your mother in the night But she fades just out of sight So there isn't any sweetness in the dreaming And when you wake the morning showers you with light And it makes you feel alright But it's just the same hard candy You're remembering again Again 4X It's just the same hard candy You're remembering again Again 4X And it's just the same hard candy You're remembering again Go ask her to come around And see me late after dark Don't ask me to come around Then wait to see if there's a spark. Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deVpewZ2dGQ

Frieda, re your question about school assemblies and Jerusalem in particular. It used to be the law that every school began each day with a form of religious 'observance'. As far as I know this is still the case, although the large 'secondary' schools get round it by claiming lack of space/time etc. But junior schools, even the non-denominational ones, will have a couple of prayers and a hymn plus 'announcements'. And C of E and RC kids will probably attend weekly/occasional services in their local church. Of course these days, as your friend says we have become a far more 'secular' country plus we have had a huge influx of people bringing in a wide range of faiths, all of which are meant to be catered for within the 'Religious Education' systems of each school area. RE is still taught as a 'lesson' up to exam standard. That is certainly how I learnt the words and tunes of so many hymns. As far as Jerusalem goes. I feel the words don't mean much on their own but with that wonderfully confidant Victorian music, it would be difficult not to be moved by hearing it sung en masse . . . have you ever been/or heard the 'Last Night of the Proms' from the Royal Albert Hall and large parks around the UK when Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory etc are sung by the thousands in the audience? It may be considered very 'jingoistic' by the nay-sayers but it is a truly rousing sound. Below is an extract from the Last Night of the Proms. I hope it doesn't make your fillings tingle . . .luckily I, unlike millions of my countrymen have never needed any 'work' on my teeth so my head is quite amalgam-free. ;-) Here is a link that might be useful: Last Night of the Proms