Bad, bad doggie...

Our lab puppy {and I use that term lightly...he's two} is just so naughty! We actually had a fairly warm, sunny weekend & I was outside, planting my wildflower garden, wearing my favorite shirt when out of nowhere Jackson appeared, leapt through the air, mouth wide open...clamped on to my shirt and kept on running! It was like something out of the movies...there I was, standing in the garden, half my shirt gone...the rest in tatters...I could not believe it!! I've never seen anything like it...he is a such a bad, bad doggie...it's a good thing he's cute!

On the upside, I did get my wildflower garden planted {right behind my raised beds} and tidied up the garden a bit, scanning the ground for any sign of green peeking through the soil...nothing yet.

This afternoon, I was looking at all the butterfly/caterpillar identification books that I have on my desk {15} and realized that each book provides something different.

Some have better pictures or show different "instars" (stages) of the caterpillars and I really do refer to all of them, however I've found one that I go back to time & time again...It's a book by Judy Burris & Wayne Richards, called "The Life Cycles of Butterflies"

It won the Teachers' Choice Award in 2007, but I think it's a wonderful "adult" book as well! They have taken 23 of the most common butterflies and devoted four pages to each butterfly with amazing photos of the eggs, caterpillars and butterflies. It also has a section devoted to butterfly gardening...host & nectar plants.

But I think my favorite feature is the easy comparison guide for butterfly eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalises (cocoons) in the back of the book. I actually carry it with me when I'm egg & caterpillar hunting...yes, it's that good!

I have it in hardcover, but bought a paperback version {every bit as good as the hardcover} for my Mom on Amazon.com for about $11 {& free shipping!}

So, if you are thinking about adding a butterfly identification book to your collection, I would highly recommend this one!

Think happy spring thoughts...it's just around the corner, I can feel it!