Still chasing the elusive butterfly

 Many things I enjoy as an adult, I didn't pay attention to as a kid, like: sunsets, landscapes, good food and string bikinis. But one thing I remember always intriguing me from youth to now was butterflies.

We chased them with little nets, put them in jars or coffee cans. Watched caterpillars turn into butterflies. Studied them in grade school classrooms. I still have an affinity for them. I'm not an expert by any means, but as a gardener I know they are good. So I've done what I can to attract them to my little plot in the West River countryside - particularly monarchs.

From the maps I've seen we are on the outer western edge of their migration pattern. Much like our airport, we're not O'Hare, we're Rapid City Regional. Occasionally see one, but I haven't for several years.

I try to plant native flowers and have even gone so far as to actually plant milkweeds, the bane of my existence as a youth when myself and friends would walk soybean field after soybean field chopping down those dastardly weeds. Now Roundup does that work. It's done the job too well and milkweeds, which monarchs love, are not as plentiful.

But lo and behold, last week my granddaughter and I spotted a monarch butterfly flitting around my garden. I was a little embarrassed at how excited I was to see one. Then I started checking out my milkweeds a little closer and there were the striped little caterpillars I'd been trying to cultivate for years.

They've arrived, finally, and I hope they know they have a place to call home and will return. I've chopped my last milkweed and will keep the birdbath full of fresh water. 

A joyful moment for sure that is much appreciated these days.