I think its beyond healthy (within reason) to have a hobby besides being a mom. Mine is gardening. I love to be outdoors. Being in nature can 180 my mood.

Ive loved gardening since I turned 6 and my neighbor bought me mums to plant for my birthday. Possibly to hinder me from picking her flowers, but we’ll never know.

I watched the ants in at first horror that they were on my moms peonies. Only to learn they are part of the process. Accepting that bugs are an instrument & not all “bad”.

One bug that seemed to allude me was the caterpillar. I remember one that became a wasp. We tried once more but caterpillars don’t eat grass who knew 🤷‍♀️. But truly I only remember 2 my whole childhood.

I imagine we didn’t have many caterpillars or butterflies because of all the “iscides” used not only in our yard in the 90’s but the farming community as a whole.

When we moved into our place the old man that lived here before had plants and trees to welcome the hummingbirds. I added more of my favorites. Doing my best to have something blooming most of the season. I didn’t notice butterflies but I wasn’t looking.

Id say it wasn’t until I was pregnant that I noticed caterpillars. I banned pesticides and herbicides that year. I enjoy being barefoot in the yard.

Last year though was the year. I believe I saw a swallowtail. From there I slipped into a butterfly photography & identification rabbit hole. I learned my garden was already a decent butterfly and larva host spot. So I have begun to added add and add to further that as well as invite the butterflies I haven’t seen into my yard.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from this year and last.

id’s listed as determined by application I downloaded

Beckers White

Hairstreak

Common Buckeye

Orange Sulfur

Checkered White

Cabbage White

Red Admiral

Hair streak

Comma

Red Admiral

Common Wood Nymph

Emperor

Comma

Pearl cresent