Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Cat House Photos, 1 by UniQueTreasures

UniQueTreasures wrote:
I was thinking that sheer curtains or a waybigo sheer tablecloth might make good screening material. I want to be able to see, yet still protect the little buggers too. I've been watching the thrift stores for them so I'll be ready when my carpenter is ready. Yours looks very uncomplicated and is just what I had in mind Mark. I like that a plant can stand inside of it.

We already have plenty of lumber in the little storage building. I even spotted a set of 4 wheels in the garage and sereptitiously have "ear-marked" them for the cat house. If I could find the right number of already cut boards, I'd put it together myself. Unfortunately, me and sawing tools do not get along very well. I suppose I could get my sister Connie over here to help me. She's not afraid of a saw. :-) She and I have been discussing it and she says it would be easy to build from PVC pipes, etc. I don't want to have to buy anything though.

I did see a beautiful Monarch laying her eggs on the milkweed yesterday. Rescued her from the jaws of a lizard even. Jokingly, Connie said I'd probably find a lizard carcass out there some day. She hung around all day long laying her eggs on the plants. I spoke gently to her as I was taking photos. I told her I'd do my best to take care of her babies. I felt we'd just about "bonded".

Yesterday evening hubby was weed whacking. Really going to town on lots of things that had been more or less neglected while he's been getting ready for hunting season. I watched as he whacked off the bottom branches of my lantana, and cringed, but didn't say anything. The last I'd seen the Monarch, she was "doing her thing" on the Milkweed.

This morning, after he'd left for work, I went out to the back yard and saw Ms. Monarch, laying in the grass next to a few sprigs of Lantana that had been whacked. With much trepidation, I walked over and just knew she was dead. I reached down to touch her and she fluttered a bit. It was almost like she was exhausted. I noticed that the bottom of one of her wings was broken off. I gently picked her up and put her on the Lantana. She fluttered just a bit and then was fairly still. Tears were rolling down my cheeks.

This evening, there was no sign of her. I'm hoping she flew away. But I'm afraid she was a lizard dinner afterall because there are several that hang out close to the lantana. I'm more determined than ever to get the cat house built so I can keep my promise to her.

Here she is..... laying her eggs on the milkweed.

Janet