Butterflies are free

I spent the last week of August blissfully playing my new favorite computer game, Guild Wars 2. Yes, it is finally here and Ameranth and I do the dishes, vacuum the house and walk the dogs before rewarding ourselves with some game time. If it's raining however, it's free- I don't know why, since most of the chores are inside, but that's just how it works.

Today the sun is shining and I found a delightful surprise when I hung the clothes outside:

There are little gold flecks that I couldn't get to show up in the photo. After the photo shoot I moved the pin over closer to the post for a little more protection. This is a monarch butterfly chrysalis, and from what I understand this may be the 4th generation of the year, the one who migrates south for the winter. The caterpillars eat milkweed, and apparently the adults like Joe Pye Weed, since we saw a cloud of a dozen or so flitting about last week.

Now, I'm wondering how the caterpillar got so far off course as to end up on a clothesline when it had to stop and spin its case. This butterfly might head for Canada, instead of Mexico! Good luck, little friend.