Here's a look at what has kept us busy for the past week: those green things suspended from sticks inside the big paint bucket? Those are going to be butterflies. If all goes well, at least. Last Sunday morning I was out in the back yard taking care of what little greenery hasn't turned brown. As I watered my parsley I noticed I big yellowish caterpillar with stripes and yellow dots. I plucked the parsley sprig and called the boys out to look.

"Check out who's been eating my parsley," I told them. And they gawked at the goofy little bug. Then I got to thinking. "Hey guys, I hope no one else is eating my parsley."

I went to check -- and sure enough, found an even fatter caterpillar. This one wasn't yellowish but was more lime green with otherwise identical markings.

"C'mon, let's look up what kind of moth or butterfly this is supposed to become."

Well, turns out it'll be a black swallowtail butterfly -- no pesky moth here. A beautiful specimen. A keeper, in other words. The downside? The fuckers eat only parsley. And I only have one pot of the stuff growing this year.

I bounced around a few websites to read up on their lifecycle, set them up in a plastic tub and fed them parsley throughout the week. Half my pot is gone by now.

In the meantime, the boys gave the critters names: Gus and Ted.

By Wednesday, Gus had emptied his guts and attached himself to one of the sticks I had arranged. Then he dropped his outer stripes. On Friday, Ted barfed and did likewise (apparently part of the process -- leaves a big splotch of bright green after which they stop eating and then find a place to go all Kafka).

Anyway, we've got them safely housed in a big bucket now, covered with mesh to keep away hungry-ass birds. When they emerge and unfold their wings I'll post an update. Should probably start to see something right after next weekend.