Unexpected visitors

As I was looking over my potted plants on the deck yesterday, I spotted this gorgeous little visitor in my parsley.

My visiting youngest granddaughter spotted this Monarch Butterfly caterpillar and immediately wanted to hold it. We had to explain to her that you couldn't touch it but that it would eventually become a beautiful butterfly. Little One is a true nature lover and has no qualms about picking up and touching any living creature, including slugs and bugs. (Ugh.)

Husband and I were very happy that daughter alipurr brought the three rugrats to visit. (Long-hair daddy was off on a boys-only trip to go whitewater rafting.) We had lots of fun during the two days they were here. Alipurr and little fencer boy returned home on Friday afternoon because she had a meeting and the two girls had a sleepover with the grandparents. Daughter came to retrieve the girls today and they went home shortly after lunch.

A good time was had by all during this short visit. We are looking forward to Dancer Girl's upcoming birthday and our annual pool party. I really enjoy having visitors, especially when they are unexpected!

UPDATE: Sunday, 07/27/08 I was anxious to see how my beautiful caterpillar was doing this morning so I made a beeline out to the deck. I was very disappointed to see that there was NO CATERPILLAR on any of my plants. Darn. Maybe a bird got it -- don't know. It did eat all the parsley leaves on the plant and all that is left is bare stalks. I was planning to make a photographic record of its progress to a cocoon. So much for good intentions.