The winner of the best story, usually the most needy, was selected using an Applause
Meter! Players often asked for medical care for a child or a new refrigerator or washing
machine. The "champion" was crowned, wore a velvet cape trimmed with ermine and sat
on a throne holding a dozen roses while her prizes were listed. "Losers" also received
small consolation gifts. I imagine that nothing could console women today watching
old footage of that show seeing the pathetic portrayal of women and their stereotypical
roles as housewives.
However, as a nine year old girl I wanted to be a Queen for a day! Of course, I assumed
that following the TV show, one had free run of a palace and it's gardens, patting the deer,
dogs and bunnies, getting lost in the maze and having everyone bow down to you. For an
entire day you could sashay about eating pastries and cherries as you waved your
"Queen-wand". And I bet there were many young lads who watched that show that
wanted to win too!
I consider myself very lucky to have had a childhood of innocence allowing me to dream!
During the months of August and September this year, we stayed around Bayfield, had a
couple of day trips and enjoyed time with friends and doing lots of biking and gardening.
As I welcomed Monarch Butterflies to my Milkweed plants I seized the goal of viewing
their full magical metamorphosis. The Monarch population has been decreasing rapidly
over the past thirty years and happily, now, is slowly coming back.
When I was growing up Monarchs were common place butterflies, a beautiful symbol of
summer in Ontario fluttering around with their butterfly pals like with Red Admirals,
Mourning Cloaks, Skippers, Whites, Fritillaries and Swallowtails. Around Milkweed
plants, you were sure to see Monarchs, their the beautiful striped caterpillars and if you
were really lucky, a gorgeous chrysalis late in summer. Dad and Mark used to find
cocoons of various moths and butterflies and hang them up in the kitchen where we
could watch them hatch, dry and stretch their wings to prepare for flight. One morning,
I was the first one up and as I entered the kitchen, I was surprised to find a butterfly on
the wing. Catching her with some sugar water, we were able to release her into the
flower garden.
there were a couple of 1 cm. long infants. I observed their voracious eating patterns
chomping huge sections of the leaves and quickly doubling in size Every morning I
went out to the "nursery" to check on them as the leaves disappeared and the caterpillars
almost grew out of their "striped pyjamas".
Suddenly, they were all gone! I realized that the robins were also getting fatter. I found
two Monarch caterpillars crossing the road, saved them from possible doom and brought
them home to my plants. I built a netted enclosure to keep the youngins safe in their
playpen and keep away the hungry birds.
In between my duties as a "Monarch Mother" summer continued on. The adequate rain
and balance of sun produced amazing roadside wildflowers.
It was important to stay close to home to supervise my "striped bairns". But I did spend a
pleasant day in New Hamburg visiting Constance and dining out. The black cat is a greeter
in a lovely fabric store there. The stock and decorative antiques are housed in a huge old
building with tin ceilings and gorgeous wooden floors. It was like stepping back in time.
in colour-coordinated rows were so inspiring. A huge workshop behind the retail area of
the shop provides group classes for quilters and the walls are rich with their creations.
Between tending the gardens and preparing food with the tomato and herb harvest, I
worked on a couple of projects for Christmas gifts for friends and family. When I
visited Finn in June he was developing in interest in dinosaurs. I had picked up a bag
of them at a charity shop a year ago so chose a few to gift him. I created a canvas mat
and 3 landscapes with velcro so they could be played with and put away after. I also
made a fridge magnet and a batch of Peppermint Bath Playdough.
I decided to take extra steps to protect my Monarch caterpillars as they would soon be
moving on to their next stage of life. I prepared a large glass bottle with a couple of sticks
and cheesecloth lid and went out to gather some leaves and WHAT?*#??! My baby had
been snatched. Luckily there was a smaller one hiding under a leaf and I carefully
moved him in to his new "safe house". Each day, I supplied fresh leaves and to my delight
a second caterpillar appeared. She must had been so tiny and came in on a leaf. Within a
few days, they were hanging quite still, ready to perform magic. I hoped to watch the
process but only saw a layer of fine gauze swirling around them before an overnight
transformation into a chrysalis. The lima bean green with its semi-gloss sheen is
beautiful but those dots of gold; stunning!
Other things were hatching out in the garden, the annual march of the flying ants and
the Bees' frenzied gathering of pollen for the Queens. Wooly bear caterpillars marched
everywhere. We counted 48 out on the road one sunny afternoon in just a thirty minute
bike ride. I made sure that my tomatoes were not chomped by Tomato Hornworms
like last year. There were lots of butterflies about on the garden blooms.
known as the "Ham Hens" (we became friends through our Ham radio addict husbands)
had a quality day trip where we enjoyed a picnic lunch and took in a play. The Avon
River and its mighty trees is so tranquil. The theatre gardens were tremendous and
labeled with species names to educate.
Wandering the gardens while people watching, we waited to hear the trumpets blast.
After the play we wandered down the fabulous garden and sculpture-lined pathways.
Had to snap Sorel Etrog's "Large Bull" for you-know-who.
Our day was complemented with an impromptu barbeque dinner in the Frederick's
garden. "Unquiet meals make ill digestions." Comedy of Errors "Good wine is a
familiar creature, if it be well used." Othello William Shakespeare
Chris baked and decorated a yummy birthday cake for me!
I saw photos on-line of flocks of Monarch Butterflies clinging to trees in
"Butterfly Park",Goderich. They gathered for their expedition out across
Lake Huron and south to Southern California and Mexico. I drove up afew times to see them but never saw more than around twenty. The parks
are so beautiful to visit with their huge trees and sites over the lake, harbour
beaches and salt mine.
was infected with a bacteria which kills them. The other one looked good and one day
began to turn transparent and the black designs in the orange wing could be seen. I did
not witness the emergence but found the damp-winged beauty hanging from the stick
and took it outside to some flowers. It hung overnight and when the sun shone directly
on it the next afternoon, it began to stretch its wings. I was a proud Monarch Mother!
I hope he/she made the incredible journey successfully.
We got some cute pictures of Finn and Flora from Australia to keep our hearts sparkling.
We shared tales over a fabulous lunch at the beautiful Cambridge Mill.
has a couple of dining rooms, and a huge venue for conferences or weddings.
They are all beautifully furnished and the natural wood and stone compliment
the huge windows that look out over the Grand River, dam, rapids and falls.
As fall crept closer the days became shorter but the weather stayed warm. We would
usually be packing for our winter away but not this year. We enjoyed the bug-free
outdoors as my favourite season drew near.
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