For An Expert

[yellow22]

I'll be a judge at a little flower show, and I think Rick the butterfly man will be there with an exhibit. I'd be happy to ask him for you anything you've been wondering about. I met him before and he's really the best person with so many answers. I was nerves about being a judge and going but now I feel like I really want to go....the butterfly numbers have been pretty high in the last few weeks...planted a court yard garden today at work...sweaty dirty mess I was, but the Agastache was almost installed with them included. I ment to bring my camera along. It's really looking beautiful, an intern designed it and she has selected some really nice plant material. I'll bring my camera tomorrow just in case.

I just found this out that he might be there and thought of him this morning when I saved a little hummingbird....walked it into the flower show at work, I even got a few bows...they think I'm a magician, those old ladies...anyhow I thought about the hole in the hand....it flew away just after it peed on me and it's lime green like my shirt...you know what I did with it.

[yellow22]

I know what I want to ask.....because Viola pedata is NJ's state flower ....where is the Regal (I think..better read) Fritillary? That it's host plant, birds' foor violet..great plant BTW. I can stop a construction site with them both. It's that rare and I think it's only reported as in a site somewhere in Pa where a battle occured and it's historic. I just want to see one before I die. Maybe there's one for you.

[yellow22]

NJ should change it's wild flower...there was a time when I looked everything...I mean just about everything up....then there came the web...I'm lazy.
It's still out there...somehwere. I may have missed this year.

http://www.gpnc.org/regal.htm ('http://www.gpnc.org/regal.htm')

[MrSeedy]

I'm sorry to say , I've not seen even one of the many kinds of Frittiliaries in my garden this year, and they're so pretty. I used to see tons of different ones years back when I'd wander the local fields, but none in years here.

[gardenlady]

oh how cool, i know rick mikula. he is awesome and very knowledgeable. lucky you yellow to be able to see him. let us know how it goes. he is a fellow pennsylvanian.
:D

[yellow22]

He was there and he's great. He is utilized alot by Rutgers and was at the Juvenile Justice Commisions flower show. I helped judge it. He was funny talking to the tough kids explaining the difference from a female and a nale monarch. How the black dots are like balls. Any how, he sending me his book and all his educational books that teachers use and I get a personal waslk to see the Regal where he get permission. We have many of the same feelings about other people in the butterfly circle...that's why I kind of stopped but he didn't. He went all the way to congress. I feel so honored that I talked with him. It was a great expereince and I want to get back into butterflies again. My daughter told me her 16 year old freind asked how I was doing and he said every time he sees a Monarch he thinks of me. That great because at least he notices them.

[gardenlady]

yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! that's him!!!!!!!!!! oh he is just soooooo awesome. he really is a great guy. and he can really talk to kids, can't he? just one of the worlds cool people. B) :D