Second chances and a finish

Bug alert, caution. Don't say I didn't warn you. First cicada of the season on my deck. They're out. 

About half a mile away but pretty loud. Not deafening this time around. I guess there are thousands rather than the millions that emerged right over our heads last time and caused me temporary deafness, no joke.

A short life, but a merry one.

And here's the second blossom of the white iris, coming on bravely. Maybe even the third one will get there, too.

And finally the Serious Old Party finally gets the Mitered Squares jacket stitched up and tried on. 

Like a real photo shoot, modeling a Very Warm Jacket Suitable for Fall and Winter on a broiling hot late May day. Model stressed out.

 

Looks like yoga stretches 

And here it is. Still needs to be pressed, but I think this will be fun to wear, if we can get the model cheered up.

Now I can get on to my seasonal skirt.

 

Nature, giving gift after gift

This morning, on the way out of the house, I found a dead cicada, complete and perfect, right outside the door.  He instantly became a drawing model, results in Beautiful Metaphor.  The cicada is a beautifully engineered animal, with four transparent wings, and wonderful veining.

Then when I noticed a while later that there was a kind of black dust dropping onto the bookcase around the cut parsley flowers I'd brought in for decoration, I realized they were parsley seeds.  So I figured I'd collect them, so small, like black dust, you sweep them into your collection envelope with your hand.

Then I noticed on the parsley stems these little visitors

Dusky swallowtail butterfly caterpillars!  very young, must have hatched in the house, since a couple still had the original egg casing attached to their middles.  

So, since I love the dusky, I took the stems carefully back outside and put them back with the rest of the parsley.  See the remnants of the egg casing on one of these?

I called over my neighbor, who was very excited along with me, and quickly sent pix to a friend in Puerto Rico who used to live here.

Dusky swallowtails like parsley, dill, that family of plants, and if you see them please don't destroy!  they don't eat anything else, and what's a bit of parsley between friends?