serendipity

noun \ˌser-ən-ˈdi-pə-tē\

: luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for

A wonderful word don't you think?!  And so it happened last September.  Yeah, I know a wee bit behind on posting.  As if this is a surprise to anyone, right?

Anyway, it was at the Yellow Daisy Art Festival that she discovered that rare moment of serendipity.  Fleeting and rare, they are always a thrill. 

As she was loading her purchases into the back of the vehicle and cramming them in (specifically the curly willow) to make them fit she noticed....

...a wonderfully built cocoon!  Nothing like anything she had ever seen before.  So much time had been taken by some little critter to build a purrfectly camouflaged winter home that even she missed it until it was in her face. Literally.

So delicate, she was now a little more careful with the cramming of the curly willow branches into said car.  And hard to believe as it is, the little guy made it home intact and still attached to the branch.

When she got home she couldn't wait to share this moment of elation with me.  As I listened to her, I pondered two things.

One, how the heck did she know what gender this cocoon-bound thing was? Er....never mind, I don't want to know.

So I moved onto the second pondering, and more important, what would emerge?!  I mean look at the construction with the little pieces attached to the outside!  Are those little pieces of lavender?  Did he attach them as he made his cocoon or before?  Lavender! It brings to mind the smells of summer!

Many a night I fell asleep and dreamed of a grand butterfly emerging.  Perhaps a Royal Lavender Crested butterfly!  Oh wouldn't that be most glorious?!?!  I could almost taste it! The lavender that is.  Not the butterfly. Just kidding. Maybe.

But wait! I could keep him as a pet and charge admission to those who wanted to see him up close and personal.  I'd probably be so rich I would have to buy acreage to plant all the catnip seeds I could buy with the bags and bags of money!!!!

Months went by and the branches sat in the studio still tied together so as not to disturb the little snoozing fellow for fear it would simply fall right off.  And me? I keep dreaming of the Royal Lavender Crested butterfly and fields of catnip.

Two days ago, Grammie came over and finally she remembered to ask if they could look up the info to determine the species of this glorious wonder. (It only took her five months to remember to ask Grammie, who has this kind of information readily available in books.)

Later that evening, with information in hand, she returned home to share the news with me.  My cherished little guy....

was a......

bagworm!

A BAGWORM?!?!  

The horror!  I have provided shelter and protection to a BAGWORM!?!  The absolute H O R R O R! 

I should have let my bratty sister, Matilda,  have it. 

Grammie suggested that she put it in a jar.  Just in case it, (not a he anymore) overwintered.  The information said, they are VERY good at overwintering.  Of course it is in the house, would it know that it's still winter and not time to hatch?

Purrhaps, it knows it snowed here yesterday.  Eight and a half inches. We very seldom get snow. I am not allowed to venture outside even though it is melting. I am bored. 

The bagworm is not in a jar yet. Tomorrow she says, it will go in a jar. Right now though, it is unprotected.  

Are you aware that it is not nice to ruin a cat's glorious plans of catnip fields and lavender butterflies?  Well, I'm here to tell you, it is not nice at all!

May she sleep soundly tonight and never hear that which goes bump, for I shall not remain bored or humiliated for long..... 

.... a bagworm? hmpfh!