The 36-acre campus at Wesley Retirement Community is pretty safe from being crowded because it is private. Outsiders do walk here daily but are limited in numbers. Yesterday it was an older male with a white beard and his black dog. I avoided him by walking at least six feet away, as directed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). We did talk at a safe distance. He said he came over daily to visit his mother, who is in the Spring Nursing Care building, which was under lockdown because of the Coronavirus virus.
The gentleman called his mother on a cell phone to let her know he would be near her bedroom window shortly. There are four floors to the Spring Building. Administrative offices are on the first floor. It was a healing visit, and I was privileged to witness it. I, on the other hand, circled the Prayer Carn in the small park and said a decade of the rosary for those who are dying alone. May the dying be at peace and know they are walking on in peace and love. May they know they are not alone.
China, an 11 year old cat and I are healing together. She was injured on July 21. We think she was attacked by a feral cat. Her left shoulder was dislocated. For the past three weeks we have been recuperating together.Yesterday I felt like I was being called to come to the woods; I stated to walk out to the forest on a weathered trail. I didn’t walk very far before I heard a meow. I turned around and saw that China was following me. This is the first day that she has been outside and already she was going way beyond a safe zone. China is still limping and wouldn’t be able to fend off another predator in this condition. Naturally I turned around and we walked home together.
It is interesting that we have been recuperating together. China on three legs and I slowly building endurance after a medical crisis with respirator exasperation and other issues that caused a perfect storm. I have learned patience from China and I am still learning. Both of us need to pay attention and not go beyond our limits. She had no business being out in the woods. Perhaps I too am pushing it. My goal is to walk out to see the old Boy Scout camp. It is here where a wild butterfly habitat exists now. I want to see what shape it is in. In the meantime, there is a butterfly story that follows.
My brother-in-law Jack wanted to show me something in the garden. Growing among tomato plants there was a milkweed plant; a large monarch caterpillar was munching away on milkweed leaves several days ago. Yesterday Jack again wanted to show me something.
Monarch in classic J shape
A monarch caterpillar was hanging upside down on a tomato stalk. The creature was in the classic J shape that indicates that it is going into the pupa stage. This is where it splits its skeletal skin for the last time and changes into the next stage of its life cycle. The day was cloudy and rainy. The caterpillar didn’t transform itself. When I was taking a photo I accidentally bumped into the plant and the caterpillar balled itself up in a protective mode. I questioned, does the caterpillar need sun to warm its body in order to allow the caterpillar to have the energy to change? Later in the day, the heavy rains came. I hope it didn’t get dislodged from its hiding place among the tomato plants. It does have some protection from surrounding tomato leaves. For now I will observe development. There is no such thing as coincidence. All thee of us are changing, China, the caterpillar and I. Each of us is coming into new life after being injured, ill or simply transforming.
Be happy insectamonarca friends where ever you are.
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