An orgy of butterflies...

Summer hit all at once today, with high temperatures in the upper 80s(F) and humidity to match. Insects came awake with a vengeance, and the pasture was full of mosquitoes. As we were sitting in the dining room starting our dinner, I noticed what looked like a large number of butterflies swirling madly around the edge of the woods. I took the camera out to investigate, and indeed they were butterflies, the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) to be specific. These are pretty common here in summer, though the guide book says they don't usually overwinter here. In any case, an entire brood must have hatched from the chrysalis today in the heat, and they were madly chasing one another around. There are a couple more photos if you click through the thumbnail here. Unfortunately, even the fastest speed of my little camera was insufficient to stop the movement. What you see in the photos is much like what I saw myself. When they flew into a sunbeam, they looked like bits of burning paper whirling in the breeze. When they moved into shadow, they nearly disappeared, in spite of the brilliant red arcs on their wings. It appears that they favor nettles as a larval food source, and there are some pretty substantial stands in that area. I've been thinking of cutting some to try them as a fiber source, though recently I've been hearing that they make good soup as well (the nettles, not the butterflies.)

In other news, aside from the usual Sunday chores, I prepared a small warp for the loom today. This is for the guild challenge for the year, to "Weave a Green Bag." They left it up to the individual to decide what "green" means. I am using some leftover green perle cotton as warp, and will use handspun cotton as weft, some from recycled denim, some from organic colored cotton plants (green and brown.) I'm weaving the fabric in a tube with a 24 inch circumference, so no side seam will be needed. It will form a small drawstring bag in which a drop spindle and a supply of fiber can easily be carried. Recycling fiber and using leftover yarn is "green" in one sense, and the preponderantly green color of the finished item will be "green" in another sense.

Sheep shearer is coming next Saturday (May 29,) says he'll be here at 8 am. Presumably this is to avoid working in the heat of the day. A couple of you have expressed interest in helping to wrangle sheep for shearing. If you can make it, I'll promise you a nice lunch and a cool place to rest afterward (indoors in the air conditioning or outdoors in the shade, depending on conditions.) Let us know if you can be here. Shearing usually moves quickly, and with only eight sheep it should be done in an hour or so.