butterflies!

No longer just caterpillars and cocoons-we now have butterflies!  Several butterflies have emerged today, and I missed seeing all of them...I did get to see them once they were out however.  Here's a look

This is the one which I had been keeping inside-I freed him as soon as I saw he was out!

Hopefully I'll get to see one actually breaking free soon!!

Whilst I was sitting enjoying the butterflies, I noticed this unusual little critter.  Some sort of caterpillar I suppose, but no idea for sure!  Interesting though!

and yet more caterpillars

If you are wondering whether I shall tire of caterpillars and butterflies, the answer is probably no!  While camping with the dorm this weekend, we met a group of lepidopterists from Hong Kong.  I found out that lepidotery is the study of butterflies and caterpillars, and have decided this is going to be my new hobby!!

Just before the weekend, I managed to get a video of a caterpillar transforming into a chrysalis, which I've uploaded below.  From what I've observed, the caterpillar attaches itself to something solid with some sort of sticky/weblike substance, and hangs upside down for roughly 12 hours, before it does this!  I missed the very beginning of this caterpillars change but you can still see the process.  In the background of the shot there is a chrysalis hanging that is fully dried out.  I haven't yet seen one emerge as a butterfly so not sure how long exactly they hang for.  God really is creative!

caterpillar update

When I left home this morning (a little after 6:30am) caterpillar looked the same as he did last night, but when I returned home (around 6:30pm), he looked like this!

Will try to take one in daylight tomorrow to show it more clearly :)

In other caterpillar news (which is a fun phrase to write, even if no one is following the news!), one of our indoor caterpillars has come to an untimely end.  However, the other has started to turn into a cocoon as well!  He is currently hanging upside down.  I'll keep a close eye on him and try to get lots of photos!    

I think he needs a name...what does one call a caterpillar/butterfly?  Let's have some suggestions, people!

there's a little caterpillar

Actually, there are a lot of them!  All over a bush just outside the front door of the dorm.  When the kids told me I got rather excited, and now we have two caterpillars living in our lounge room, much to the disgust of several of the girls!  I'm interested to see how our two fare, as they seem to be a little confused at the moment.
Just tonight, one of the boys called me to tell me that one of the caterpillars on the bush outside was starting to chrysalise (if that's a word!).  So far it's just a slightly swollen caterpillar hanging upside down, but I'm keeping a close eye on it's progress!  Here's a photo of what it looks like at the moment-taken in very poor light, sorry about quality! You get the idea anyway.  I'll keep you all updated with what it turns into!  Isn't God amazing :)

a little bit of laughter

In the middle of an extremely busy couple of weeks, I thought I would take a moment to share something you'll hopefully find amusing.  The things my littlest sister and I get up to at times...  This was when she came to visit me in Thailand last year :) Hope you get half as much joy as we did!

latest and greatest achievement

My whole life I've wondered how people possibly manage to do this.  I could not figure it out, I don't think my brain works the right way!  But finally, tonight, it happened.  I did it!  My latest and greatest achievement is.....

SOLVING A RUBIK'S CUBE!!!

Next goal...learn to do it without an online step-by-step guide.... ;)

reading resolution

In the beginning of this blog, I wrote that I'm not terribly good at New Years resolutions, but I'm not sure that I quite believe myself now.  My other resolution (and I really think there were only two!) was to read more books.  I've always loved reading, since I was very young, but my reading died a lot when I was at uni.  This may be partially due to the busyness of study, but I think also to the philosophy (or guilt factor?) that if I wasn't doing my uni readings, then I shouldn't be reading for fun either!  I have still read since my uni years, but not as much as I used to, so I decided 2013 was the year!  And I tell you what, my friends, it's been great!  Reading is WONDERFUL!  You should all do it!  Read anything and everything!  Learn, laugh, cry, and see the world from the perspective of others!

These are the books I read in January.

 Top down:
Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart.  A hilarious look into the ins and outs and intricacies of life.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.  Started last year and finished in Jan.  An exciting mystery and hailed as the first detective novel in the English language.
In His Time compiled by Eileen Gordon-Smith.  Biography of an OMF missionary doctor to Thailand who, along with 11 other adults and children from missionary families, was killed in a tragic traffic accident.
Behold, Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer.  A murder mystery
Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne.  Two books people of every age should read.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.  A rather depressing read about a woman's struggle with mental illness.
The House of Memories by Monica McInerney.  Story of a woman dealing with a deep grief, and an interesting insight into different ways people cope with grief.

The three on the side are what I'm currently reading:
Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks.  A journey into the world of Islamic women.  Extremely interesting.
Letters From Thailand translated from Thai by Susan Folop.  A series of letters written by a Chinese immigrant to Thailand in 1945.
Letters Never Sent by Ruth van Reken.  Letters written by the author throughout her life to her parents and to God, depicting the journey and struggles of being a third culture kid.

Also there is my favourite bookmark, which a friend had made for me.  Another visible bookmark is a piece of wool, which if you know me much at all you won't be surprised by!

So what are your favourite books?  I would simply love to have suggestions from you for my reading!  Easy or complex reads, deep and meaningful or light and fun, long or short, I'll take all ideas.

I do so encourage you to pick up a book-you might just find yourself enjoying it and getting lost in another world for a while.