Back in September I was walking by a Patagonia store when I noticed a small sign that read ATTRACTS MONARCH BUTTERFLIES Seminar tomorrow night. I have always dreamed of having a garden that attracts butterflies. Beautiful butterflies just fluttering about. And now here it was a seminar to tell me how to achieve my goal.

I eagerly went and learned all about the migration pattern of the Monarch Butterfly. The secret… the Milkweed plant attracts these treasures. Monarch butterflies only eat Milkweed. Bingo! I signed up to have my house be put on a registry so that they will know to stop there. How do they do that, I wondered? Is there a butterfly whisperer? Some guy dressed like a butterfly waving his arms, “turn left at the big dip in the road.”

No matter how it happens I was happy to know I was on their radar.

On the following Saturday I was at the Farmers Market and low and behold Milkweed plants for sale. 72 hours earlier I had never even heard of Milkweed and now it was everywhere. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

I bought all plants they had and immediately planted them on my hillside. The next morning a beautiful Monarch butterfly showed up, then 2 then more. I cried it was so wonderful. And then they were gone. “Happy Trails.”

Last week butterflies began to show up again. But they were smaller than I remembered. They were still beautiful so soft and fragile.  First just a couple then more and more. Too many to count, too many to even see clearly.  All stopping by my roadside butterfly cafe.

My God! What have I done? I’m attracting all the migrating butterflies with my magic Milkweed plants! They were everywhere, like autumn leaves floating through the air.

I was in my car stopped at the traffic light with the sunroof open when low and behold a butterfly flew inside my car. The first thing I thought of was Meg Ryan in “You’ve Got Mail.”

Kathleen Kelly writes…
Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake – as almost all hats are.

“Where are you going?  Possibly to Patagonia? Most likely.” I inquired of the small creature resting briefly on my arm, only to take off just as the light changed.

“Good-by little friend.” I shouted out my window.

Apparently due to all the rain we’ve had in Southern California swarms of butterflies from Mexico are traveling through on their way north just ahead of the Monarch butterflies’ migration. Wait a minute! Those Painted Ladies are going to eat all my Milkweed that I planted for the Monarch. There is only one thing to do to stop these imposters from coming over the border.

BUILD A WALL!  STOP THE ILLEGAL MIGRATION OF MEXICAN PAINTED LADIES

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