Butterflies! And a birdie!

Violet received a kit containing caterpillars and a butterfly enclosure for her birthday, from Norah, Sophie and Miss Morgan.

We watched as the caterpillars grew and grew and became chrysalides, hanging from the top of the cup they arrived in.

The then moved them into the enclosure, and waited about a week.

Once they began hatching, the flying, flapping Painted Ladies were much more intriguing to Spencer. We had to move the enclosure out of reach, and then to the garage.

We "fed" them simple syrup we poured into flowers, and mango.

After a couple of days, it was time to set our little friends free. Violet was excited to get them out, and let them walk on her hand.

A few days later, this little Bewick's Wren appeared, stunned, under the living room window. The girls put him in the bird house with water and cheerios, while they looked for bugs and planned a trip to the Placerita Nature Center to rehabilitate him.

But 20 minutes later, he hopped out and flew away - obviously thanks to the girls' TLC.
(He did better than the mockingbird babies - they've all disappeared, long before they were big enough to fend for themselves. Such is nature!)