migration

The long, hot & ridiculously dry summer down here in Texas has had long-reaching effects that go beyond limiting how often you can water your garden, or causing some to sputter,  "Hey, I can't pressure wash my driveway?  WTF?"  (Yes, people actually DO that.  Go figure.)   I heard on NPR the other day that there are dramatically fewer Monarch Butterflies seen heading down to Mexico & South America.  The reason?  Dead bushes and plants that would have offered the blossoms they depend on for sustenance.  Our own backyard, with luck, has been able to keep many of the flowering trees and bushes alive.  We watered according to the rationing schedule, and the warm Autumn temperatures have kept the flowers coming.  This afternoon, I headed outside with my camera for a few minutes and saw four Monarchs dizzily swooping around the garden.   

They are a sign that we've been able to maintain a strong ecological habitat in our backyard, something that matters to me a great deal.  And, they're pretty.  They make you smile.  There's hope in the return of the Monarchs each year.  It's kind of cool to see them coming through, and you can't help but want to ask "Hey, how was your Summer?"