Western Monarch Day

Monarch Butterfly On Bee Balm in honor of Western Monarch Day, February 5. 

Monarch butterfly alert: There are concerns about the alarming decline of the western monarch population, which has plummeted by 95%, from more than 10 million in the 1980s to less than 30,000 in 2018. Insects can bounce back quickly when conditions improve, but unfortunately the numbers were not any better in 2019. A recent census of the wintering sites along the California coast revealed mostly empty trees once festooned with monarchs. The decline is due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and drought triggered by climate change. None of us can turn around those big trends individually, but what each of us can do is make our backyards and public spaces more attractive to monarchs by planting the right milkweed plants. Plant, and they will come! Monarchs can’t survive without milkweed. They need it to lay their eggs on and their caterpillars only eat milkweed plants. The monarch butterfly population is in danger because milkweed plants are disappearing, due to loss of habitat stemming from land development and the widespread spraying of weed killer on the fields where they live. We can help monarchs by growing milkweed in our yards, fields, and gardens.

Monarch On Young Crabapples 

Danaus plexippus

Monarch Butterfly On Echinacea

Monarch Butterfly On Echinacea

Monarch Butterfly On Purple Loostrife

Monarch Butterfly On Purple Loostrife

Monarch Butterfly On Purple Loosetrife

Whatever they say about it being invasive, I still think it's pretty. It is not nearly as destructive to habitats as it is often made out to be and it has a bunch of medicinal uses. There is a fascinating article about it at: http://www.herbcraft.org/loosestrife.html

Monarch On White Zinnia

They say that the name Butterfly is of unknown origin, but I believe that they were originally called Flutterbys, as I like to call them, and that someone (perhaps a child), probably mispronounced it, and it stuck. They are fascinating creatures who take to the air on gossamer wings. They've come to symbolize metamorphosis. These remarkable pollinators display a diversity of colors and patterns.

My photographs are available for purchase

You can see more of my creations at:

 linktr.ee/elisecreations

or

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Disclaimer

My blog is meant to inform and I strive to be totally accurate. It is solely up to the reader to ensure proper plant identification. Some wild plants and mushrooms are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects.

Gorgeous Sunsets

I have been wanting to take a great photo of this tree in Jericho, for many years and I finally got my chance. This Photo has been awarded the Photo of the Day, on Capture My Vermont, December 24, 2015.

Moon & Sunset Over Mt. Mansfield

A Glorious Winter Sunset 

Bird Flying Through Sunset

Color & Drama

Flying Monkey Sunset

Sunset On Lake Champlain

Sunset On Lake Champlain

My photographs are available for purchase

You can see more of my creations at:

 

linktr.ee/elisecreations

or

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Aquatic Loveliness

Water Lily & Cattail Reflections

Water Lilies and Cattails are found in a variety of wetland habitats.

Almost all waterlilies (Nymphaea and Nuphar species) are edible and can be gathered most of the year. During the summer months, when the rootstocks become mushy and rather tasteless, they're still an excellent source of survival food. Additionally, the young, unfurling leaves can be eaten raw or with unopened buds prepared as a potherb.  The seeds, high in starch, protein, and oil, may be popped, parched, or ground into flour, and the potato-shaped tubers of the tuberous waterlily (N. tuberosa) can be dug from the mud and prepared like, potatoes.

The cattails (either Typha latifolia or T. angustifolia) can be utilized at almost any time of the year, because at each stage of its life cycle it has a number of edible parts. For example, you can mash the root up in cold water to separate the soluble starches, and—once these have settled, and the fibers and water have been removed—add the material to stew or mix it with other wild flours to make bread. The new shoots can be eaten raw, and those up to a foot tall may be prepared like asparagus. The head, before it emerges, can be cooked and eaten like corn on the cob. Finally, it's possible to collect cattail pollen for use in soup or as a flour.

Water Lilies & Cattails

 Lovely Light Pink Water Lily 2

Lovely Light Pink Water Lily 8

Pink

Water Lilies

This photo reminds me of an Oriental Painting

Water Lilys and pickerelweed in a lovely pond.

Water Lilies & Cattails

Waterlilies In A Friends Greenhouse

The white water lily is the national flower of Bangladesh and State flower for Andhra Pradesh, India.

Water Lilies Landlocked

The water in the lake is so low that you can actually see the water lilies and some other water plants growing out of the ground.

My photographs are available for purchase

You can see more of my creations at:

 

linktr.ee/elisecreations

or

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Beauty On A Winter Day

 

Beauty On A Frigid Winter Day in Essex, Vermont

Frosted Hay Rolls with a Mountain View

Camels Hump On A Sunny Winter Day! 

Mountains Of Vermont On A Sunny Winter Day! 

Mount Mansfield On A Sunny Winter Day! 

Farm With A Snowy Mountain View

Mt. Mansfield On A Sunny Winter Day in Vermont!

Lovely Valley leading to Snowy Mountains Of Vermont On A Sunny Winter Day!

Full Moon Winter Sunset

My photographs are available for purchase 

You can see more of my creations at:

 

linktr.ee/elisecreations

or

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. 

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission. 

Happy New Year!

                                                Thank you for the Happy Birthday messages.

                                                                          Happy New Year!

Here's a great word for the New Year. AHIMSA - Sanskrit word meaning respect for all living things and refraining from harming any living beings as well as the living environment.

                   May 2025 be filled with love and laughter, good health, great adventures, and Peace.

 

Happy Holidays!

May whatever is beautiful, meaningful, and brings you happiness be yours this holiday season and throughout the coming year!

Since I'm already wishing for spring, here's some white, Cherry Blossoms. I wish you could smell them. They were wonderful.

You can see more of my creations at:

 

linktr.ee/elisecreations

or

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Hats, Cowls, and Headbands I Crocheted

Here's a Hat and Cowl, I crocheted recently, using Layer Cake Beanie pattern for the hat and some of the stitches from the Layer Cake Lace Cowl and the Ribbons & Grace Neck Warmer for the cowl. Thank you @kirstenhollowaydesigns, for the inspiration. This is made with Lion Brand shawl in a ball yarn, color-Prism. Handmade in Vermont, by me (Elise). Thank you Cathy for being a great model.

by #Elise Marks   @elisecreations  #Elise Creations and Passions

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/layer-cake-beanie-hat

Headband / Ear Warmer with a twist.

This purple and teal headband / ear warmer is made with Lion Brand Heartland acrylic yarn, colors - Hot Springs - Purple and Glacier Bay - teal.

It is inspired by some of the stitches from the Layer Cake Lace Cowl and the Ribbons & Grace Neck Warmer. Thank you @kirstenhollowaydesigns, for the inspiration. 

The Headband / Earwarmer is $35.

I crocheted this Layer Cake Lace Beanie or Hat, and a Cowl, using some of the stitches from the Layer Cake Lace Cowl and the Ribbons & Grace Neck Warmer. Thank you @kirstenhollowaydesigns, for the inspiration. This is made with Lion Brand Landscape acrylic yarn, color - Volcano. Handmade in Vermont, by me (Elise). 

Thank you Cathy for being a great model. 

by @elisecreations

Here are 2 more views so you can see the details.

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/layer-cake-beanie-hat-volcano

I crocheted this Layer Cake Lace Beanie or Hat. Thank you @kirstenhollowaydesigns, for the inspiration. This is made with Lion Brand Landscape, very soft, acrylic yarn, that has a lovely sheen, in the color - Metropolis. Handmade in Vermont, by me (Elise). 

The hat is $50.

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite/product-page/crocheted-hat-layer-cake-lace-beanie

Headband Earwarmer with a twist.

This purple and teal headband / earwarmer is made with Lion Brand Heartland acrylic yarn, colors - Hot Springs - Purple and Glacier Bay - teal.

It is inspired by some of the stitches from the Layer Cake Lace Cowl and the Ribbons & Grace Neck Warmer. Thank you @kirstenhollowaydesigns, for the inspiration. 

The Headband / Earwarmer is $35.

 

For proper care, Wash by hand and lay flat to dry to protect the shape and lifespan of your hat or cowl. Avoid harsh cleaners. Do Not machine wash. 

Please note that these are handmade, so it is normal and expected to notice some slight variation in the color of the yarn. This adds charm and character to your handmade item.

Created in a smoke-free and scent free environment.

My Site is a work in progress, so check for updates soon.

Here are links to where you can see my creations:

 

linktr.ee/elisecreations

or

https://elisecreate.wixsite.com/mysite

 

Thanks for your visits, favs and comments. As always, appreciated very much!

© all rights reserved by Elise T. Marks. 

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.