Food & Wine

The disaster (depending on your point of view) was a swallow-tail butterfly that laid scores of eggs on our prime parsley plant! They hatched and began eating about 2 days ago and have eaten about a third of the plant already. So we had a long discussion ...  

Possibly my best butterfly photo ...  

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I'll spend part of it looking often at what you've shared! Nature is and will always be the best artist!

Have a salad and a loaf on me ...  

These were the selection of heirlooms at the market yesterday. I didn't buy any because we are still stocked up with free produce. These are $4-6 a pound. Edible flowers for sale there, too, at $15 a box You have to be a fru-fru chef to use these but I ca...  

The flowers are from our garden (nasturiums) they look pretty and taste fine. That's about as delicate as I can manage. I don't insert them with chopsticks like chefs will do. ...  

Okay, now many questions I need to ask, please: Why do the caterpillars in the second picture look different (darker) than the third picture? I’m guessing it’s the same guys, so are they at a different point of development or are these a different group? ... 

We could just squish them and save the ruination. Or put a net over the parsley to keep the butterfly out. Yes, by moving them we put other crops at risk, but we thinned the caterpillars out - one or two per plant rather than 50 on one plant. We have only...  

This extent of Nature on full display and your and Mrs. C’s seamless interactions and appreciation for it all is intriguing (and educational) for me. 🙏🏽

We will have to keep checking, since eggs can be hatching for some time... ...  

an entomologist but I’m pretty sure you are looking at two different things here. While the first picture is a swallowtail butterfly larvae, this photo is of a tomato hornworm (common name), sphinx moth (more general name).

My wife told me the same thing after I posted it - she’s the “worm squashing expert” in the family. I deleted the image. Here is a parsley eater for sure: From 2 years ago when we didn’t catch them in time - as you can see the parsley was almost completel...  

That describes your photography, eloquent narration, garndening and culinary skills! We are adding a greenhouse to the backyard next year. Your message box will be filled with messages from me soliciting advice