April's Fools, Fat-Cat Farmers & Monarch Butterflies

Anybody (me) who thought we were finished with winter was in for a big surprise this morning. Hope you haven't stowed your winter coat!

Though it appears winter is back, I got some of the city's street ground prepped to install a butterfly garden the last couple nice days. It was reported last fall the monarch butterfly is on the skids, because farmers had sprayed the milkweeds. According to www.monarch-butterfly.com the larvae consume only milkweed milk. Last fall, on the way to a party in the country, I hopped out and collected some seed pods. Thanks to indolence and the early onset of winter, I did not get them planted, but this April Fools' return of chilly weather offers me a reprieve. Perhaps today or tomorrow.

The scuttlebutt is that the city is about to give $10 thou an acre for ground south of town to a fat-cat farmer for a new sewer plant. I called City Hall and checked with Shelly, who said, “Discussions are so preliminary, there nothing to report.” So we know what we have always known: the city will give major bucks to the well-heeled element of the community, (think: the old supermarket) but no breaks to ordinary folks on the price of property they force you to take care of. At least, the butterflies benefit!

By the by, if you're interested in the life cycle and peregrinations of the monarch, the above-mentioned website will give you a critical eye full!