butterflies

Seven Quick Takes

/ CAstfalk / 4 Comments

7 Quick Takes

Monarch Butterfly Edition

My oldest daughter has been a butterfly lover since she was a toddler, capturing and identifying butterflies long before she could read. With the addition of native plants to our yard, we’re attracting more creepy crawly creatures than ever, including the Monarch butterfly.

A large part of our summer was spent rearing butterflies from egg to butterfly. Admittedly, we got in a bit over our heads. We learned so much together – the whole family – as we marveled at these amazing little creatures and their journey.

Here, in seven pictures, is an overview of their life cycle. They’ve been gone from our yard for weeks, but almost daily I still see a Monarch flying across a road or field, headed south. Continue reading →

Small Success Thursday

/ CAstfalk / 12 Comments

Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

  1. Greeting Cards Organized and  Replenished – I like to send greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions. Rather than spend my days and nights selecting expensive greeting cards from the rack, I buy them in bulk from Current. This means that aside from unique special occasions, I need only stock up once or twice a year. Last week I went through my box of cards, reorganizing and assessing what I needed to purchase. Continue reading →

Small Success Thursday

/ CAstfalk / 6 Comments

Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week:

  1. Back-to-School Paperwork Conquered – I survived the beginning-of-the-school-year-paperwork flurry. After filling out umpteen forms replete with multiple emergency contacts with multiple contact phone numbers for multiple children and a range of other forms requiring my signature, I thought my work was done. Then a second round of papers hit at back-to-school night. I think I’ve completed every necessary form and attached every necessary payment without letting things fall through the cracks. I think.  Continue reading →