Chloe Update

It was time to change the leaves in Chloe's jar. Not because they were eaten, but because they were wilted again. In the seven days we have had Chloe I have yet to see her eat anything. And for the last two days she's been rolled up in a ball on a piece of bark at the bottom on the jar. It wasn't looking good and I feared the worst.

With snow in the forecast I sent the Artist out to pick some more clover and dandelion leaves. (Why are these so abundant when I don't need them and so hard to find when I do?) Then I had her remove the things from the jar. We tossed the wilted greens and rinsed the other things off. The Artist gingerly held Chloe, still no movement. She had wound her body around all those little legs, so we could not poke her leg with a twig to get a response.

As the Artist and I were talking and deciding whether or not she may no longer be with us, the Artist decided she needed to go back into the wild. I happily agreed, because it appeared to me this caterpillar would starve to death if she stayed in our home much longer.

No sooner did the Artist get Chloe outside, when she began to revive! That sealed the deal, Chloe was moving back outdoors. Through her tears, the Artist watched her dear Chloe climb a tree and pose for these photos. My Artist was sad because, she explained, "I love Chloe so much." The top two photos are not in the best focus, so you can imagine you are seeing your beloved caterpillar through your tears too. Then we had to go through the talk about "Mommy, Will Chloe remember me when she becomes a moth?" I told her I don't think Chloe's brain is designed with a memory. Sad to say, I'm afraid I dashed some dreams about a moth fluttering on the Artist's shoulder as she skipped around the garden in the springtime.