Gwynne, Thanks. I'm sorry too. :( I feel bad that I just couldn't keep up with things and try to keep my sanity so I backed off and that's what happened. My husband says I act like I have to save every Monarch in the world. I do try to save all of them that I can, but then it just gets to be too much. I am convinced now more than ever of the parasite problems that Monarchs face. I think probably almost every one of the caterpillars and pupas that didn't make it had strings hanging down from them. I saw the fly pupa on the bottom of the containers. I'm just now coming to an end of having those problems because I'm strictly bringing in eggs and that's absolutely it. I figure if I see a caterpillar, chances are one of its enemies probably spotted it before I did and already laid eggs on it, so I don't even bother bringing any in. I'm finding less eggs these days than I had been. My biggest day I had this summer was 93 found eggs, but now when I got out it's more like 10-20. So I can tell the season is kind of winding down. I supposed I'll be releasing butterflies a month from now yet or probably even into October (only a few). My biggest release day was 29 butterflies on August 18 (a week ago today). Mostly all of those eclosed in my butterfly cage. I didn't keep track of how many dead caterpillars and pupas I had from when I brought them in as caterpillars when I was getting back into raising them, but I'd guess that it was 30 or so that didn't make it. Of the ones that I collected outside as caterpillars, far more died than what lived. Probably the ones that lived were the founds I found as tiny caterpillars before anything had a chance to find them. The ones in the butterfly cage were collected as eggs. We put 109 caterpillars in the cage; only two didn't make it. So I think that says a lot about how much better their chances are when they're collected as eggs and raised inside. Last year I didn't collect eggs at all. I was a novice and only collected the caterpillars. It's a wonder many of them made it, but I successfully raised 70 Monarch cats. I think I only had about 8 that didn't make it last year. So I think their parasites are a lot worse this year. Yes, I agree with you about the tachinid flies being disgusting. Sorry about your problems that you had before. I guess we probably all go through those things unfortunately, but at least now we know how bad the problem really is. I don't get rid or normal-looking larva, but if I see a pupa that looks funny, I do dispose of it because I know that either it will result in flies or else the butterfly will be deformed when it ecloses. Thanks for all the information. It was really interesting and now I've learned even more. Sherry, I absolutely agree with you about not bringing in caterpillars. If I ever take a break again, like back off from collecting eggs for a week or two each year. I found out from collecting caterpillars outside that very few of them make it. I've been taking my pain pills lately and it's not quite so hard on my back collecting the eggs, but it's still not pain-free. Oh, how I wish I had gotten into this when I was younger, but then again, I had kids, so that took up my time and I wouldn't have had the time to spare. Ha, even now I wonder how I'd do it if I'd get more eggs than I've already been getting. It's time-consuming, no doubt about it. I've been trying to put a bunch in small storage containers thinking maybe that would save time. I'm not sure if it saves that much. There's just no real easy way to do this without putting most of my waking hours into it. I spend more time with the caterpillars than I do my family. Yes, those Tachinid flies are definitely disgusting. If I see any outside when I'm out there, I'll whoop their hairy little butts. :) Btw, I enjoyed reading about them in your blog just as I've loved reading everything else you have on there. You have really good information! How many years have you been raising Monarchs now? Like you, I watch the pupae closely and if any start having a strange look, they get isolated. I have one right now that I'm wondering about. It's not that it doesn't look healthy. It has a nice plump look, but its stripes don't have the usual look. There's a criss-cross type pattern on part of it. I took a few pictures of it and will post them when my daughter gets them off of her camera and onto the computer. I bet that about had your blood boiling to let the Tachinid Fly hatch. ;-) Cathy

Oh Marcolo, a monopoly house...really? I'd say this resembles the red monopoly house more than what I'm considering I happen to like the modern farmhouse style, I get not everyone does. And I'm guessing it is the attached three car garage most of you naysayers take issue with. The thing is, we need a three car garage and I fail to see the logic behind moving to an inconvenient location in an attempt to pretend it doesn't exist. Michou: I took a look at the Howard Bracken link and his homes are beautiful. Really perfect for a gorgeous napa location. I'm not sure how well it would translate for my rainy climate or our specific floorplan needs, but I like a lot of the elements he uses. Oakley: I have searched for farmhouses and the problem I run into is that there aren't as many existing floorplans in the 3,500 + sq ft range, plus I'm looking for a fairly specific layout (formal dining, master on main, non-open kitchen, kids room upstairs and attached garage). Also, most farmhouse plans seem to have large porches often wrap arounds. Here in the PNW we are sunlight deprived enough, so I don't need a porch other than a small one to shelter the front door and maybe a small one to grill under off the back of the house. The original elevation of the house is nice, but to me it looks like a nice version of many builder homes out here and it has a French country sort of look or something. I do think it's pretty but its not really "me". I prefer the fresher look of a modern farmhouse. To adapt it too our woodsy setting we will have some cabin-like and maybe even craftsman inspired details, but overall I want to keep it clean and simple. Here are some other modern farmhouses/ modern cabins. I wonder if those in the dislike camp do not care for these either, or if it's just the house I'm considering? I don't think this is all that different

The bed and dresser are just beautiful! Before you decide about the bedskirt (and I think that this is a matter of personal taste - with no right or wrong), why not try out the looks to see how you respond to each. Set it up, using whatever fabric you have available to use for a mock up, without a bedskirt; with a bedskirt over the rails; with a bedskirt inside the rails; and without. Take some time to evaluate each and then go with the look that ultimately "clicks." This works well for me over a time period when I look, ignore, and go back to look until I feel sure. If you decide to add a bedskirt and prefer to show the bed rail, I have a suggestion that has worked well for me. We have a high (step up) Pineapple Poster in our MBR that has a 26-inch drop to the floor from the top of the box spring, which sits a good 6 inches above the top of the bed rail. A "double deck" approach allows the box spring to be covered and the rails to show. A shorter skirt attached to decking falls over the exposed box spring and tucks behind the rail. A longer skirt (in three sections - for each side and the base) is attached with velcro to the underside of the box spring and falls from under the bed rail to the floor. The fabrics can be the same or complementary and the style can be tailored or gathered. I have had several changes of bedding and I prefer that both skirts be gathered and I like to use two fabrics - the main bed skirt trimmed with the complementary fabric used on the upper skirt. When I redid my bedding the last time, I decided to use a long skirt over the rail. It looks nice, but I like it better the other way...and DH would not step on the fabric when using the rail to get in and out of bed, or put on socks!

Tinam61 - when you say using down and a larger insert makes such a difference in how the pillow looks, what exactly do you mean? When I think of down pillows, I think of squishy pillows not holding their shape, but maybe it would be different if the insert were a bigger size than the cover. I've only ordered inserts from Pottery Barn. Is there a better place to get them? The lady on the etsy site is going to mail me a sample of the fabric, so I think that will really help to see it in person.