Super Nana

Super Nana struck again. Bonus points awarded for extreme sports. Despite heavy downpours and cautious adults, Super Nana whisked away socks and pants (his), zipped up the hoody, grabbed the camera and umbrella, and headed out to wade in the slickery fast street gutters. Oh yeah.

Upped my "favorite toy" status.

Umbrella

While walking down the streets of Paris one afternoon, we enjoyed the pleasant weather. People watching filled our minds with images of beauty and interest. Waves of shoppers and strollers passed, holding hands, pacing briskly, both empty hands and hands filled with purchases.

Without much warning, the skies darkened and opened. Nothing like an easy going mist, but a full blown summer rainstorm pounded down and glistened on city sidewalks and streets.

Bloomp. A veritable sea of dark colored umbrellas and striding legs flowed where just moments before faces and entire bodies were visible. Where had the umbrellas come from?

Then bloomp. The clouds dispersed. The sky cleared. A snap of the fingers and all signs of umbrella life disappeared, back to the mysterious nether regions of storage.

The only sign of the storm was the shine of cobbled walkways. No evidence of an afternoon disrupted. Life continued.

As did people watching.

Prolific Painted Lady's

Received: 35-ish tiny, black squiggly lines in plastic container

Procedure: Use a fine paint brush to put one squiggly line in each small communion type cup after putting in 1/4" of yellow caterpillar food for each

Close: Securely seal lid to prevent prying fingers

Next: Observe daily with excited and detail oriented 2nd-3rd graders; graph results on chart

And then: Get totally excited about the 'J' shape and suspended chrysalis'

Add: All chrysalis papers to large pop-up tent. Continue counting days before arrival of butterfly beauty

Joy comes in the morning: The best time to creep out, smooshed, bedraggled, and oozing left over body fluids

Let air dry.

Feed. Notice length of proboscis.

Tah-dah!

Pretty painted lady butterflies and gleeful children.