"As with humans, the children often prefer a diet different from what their parents eat."

"Males patrol for females. Females lay single eggs on undersides of host leaves. Chrysalids hibernate," explains the Butterlies and Moths of North America website re lifestyles of the rich and White Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris rapae, above x 4, sipping nectar from the volunteer oregano -- when plants garden -- that has taken over our mother's rock garden down Goomp's, to the delight of all things six-legged and winged). Mother White Cabbage Butterflies lay their eggs on the undersides of Brassicaceae leaves -- members of the totally awesome cabbage/mustard family -- where their picky kids -- aka Imported Cabbage Worms -- will hatch and eat their way to full, fattened pupahood. The parents' tastes are much more cosmopolitan: "Flower nectar from a very wide array of plants including mustards, dandelion, red clover, asters, and mints." Our sister, as always, cut to the chase: "As with humans, the children often prefer a diet different from what their parents eat. Think peanut butter and jelly vs. filet mignon and asparagus."

Goomp's little Kodak EasyShare C643 saved our photographic ship this weekend when our own high-strung Pentax Optio 450 pulled its annual no-can-see shutter bust one month early in the middle of a so-much-fun, late-summer cookout with Teresa and Ken down Goomp's. We loved Teresa's take at her own blog Technicalities:

Today, beloved husband and I hopped into the car . . .  braving the fairly heavy traffic on 95 north and headed up to a most wonderful get together. (I only got us lost 3 times -- not too bad) . . .

Her father, who comments as Goomp on her site, is just as terrific as I thought he would be.

Goomp has his own little slice of heaven, on an inlet by the ocean. There is the fabulous New England coastline which I believe I love above all others. It's the rocks you know, all the granite. I find it lovely . . . Absolutely the best way to spend a Saturday.

Typical shot taken with our own Pentax -- before the shutter went AWOL -- of a wicked gorgeous member of the nectar-sipping community, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail that seemed to favor the volunteer thistles (Cirsium) ensconsed at one end of Mummy's rock garden (visible in the photograph above as a note of purple just below the butterfly's abdomen). "Should I have them cut down?" Goomp asked us in our capacity as Landscape Consultant Emerita. "Only if you want to break my heart," we replied. This garden designed by the plants themselves is -- to borrow Teresa's phrase for Camelot-by-the-Sea -- "a little slice of heaven" for so many things bright and beautiful.

We  couldn't agree more.

Update: More things bright and beautiful at Modulator's Friday Ark #151.

Comments

[goomp]

Great pictures from a peacful day at Camelot.

[Teresa]

WooHoo - I'm so glad you found another camera to finish your weekend. I think you'll have to start traveling with multiples in case one of them breaks. ;-)

It's too bad you couldn't get the wind to cooperate enough to catch a pic of the other butterfly during our walk.

[hnav]

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail!

brilliant image...

sorry about the Pentax.

so glad Teresa was able to visit.

outstanding.

[Gayle Miller]

Here's my query for all who visit here - what is it about I-95? Saturday we were heading from Fredericksburg to Alexandria and it was BUMPER-TO-BUMPER traveling in either direction during our ride TO Alexandria. Coming home after a picnic with friends, not so bad. But I-95 is just your basic "what the dickens is going on" kind of nightmare!

(Although last night, speaking of nightmares, I dreamt it was snowing in Atlanta in August - must have had too many anchovies on my spinach pizza!)