Caterpillars and new pets

     I'm sitting with my windows open,  listening to the birds singing while my youngest and her friend splash in the pool outside my window. Bliss. Beside me,  nine caterpillars are in various stages of pupation, which means, in about nine or ten days we'll have nine Monarch butterflies to release. They appeared as teeny, tiny caterpillars on the milkweed in our garden about two weeks ago and we've been watching them grow, and munch all our milkweed, ever since. Once they were nice and fat and ready to pupate, we brought them inside to our butterfly house because watching them pupate and emerge from their chrysalis is just so much fun, no matter how many times we've done it.  Let me be clear, I enjoy it much more than the kids. Their interest waned after the first several butterflies. Although, my youngest spends a lot of time observing them with me.
     Last night, we went to the pet store to purchase some fish for our aquarium and ended up bringing home the mouse my daughter has been pining for instead. The saleslady let her hold her favorite mouse, Blondie, last time we were there and my animal loving, daughter was instantly in love. After several days of discussion and trying to figure out where a little mouse could be safe in a house with two cats, we decided to let her bring one home.  Her intention was not to pick Blondie because she knew she was the saleslady's favorite but the saleslady was so excited the we would be providing a good home and not be using the mouse as pet food that she practically begged us to take her. So, with the promise to bring  Blondie back to visit, we left with an adorable, well behaved, little, blonde mouse and one very happy little girl. Tomorrow, after some adjustments to our water, I think we'll go back for the fish.

 3 in Chrysalises, 3 hanging in a "J" position ready to pupate 

and one spinning a silk button to hang from. When they 

pupate, their skin peels off from the bottom and fall off. 

The result is the green Chrysalis underneath.

 Blondie