Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar

The Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar is the larva form of… wait for it… the Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly! He likes to eat Spicebush (surprise!). When he’s little, he’s all brown and white splotchy and looks like bird droppings. After he molts a couple of times he looks like this. It is a form of protection called Mimicry. He will hide his body under leaves with only his front end and False Eyes showing. If a predator gets too close he will stick out his Osmeterium that looks like a snake’s tongue and can emit a very foul smell.

Swallowtail Caterpillars will spend the winter in their chrysalis in leaf litter, ready to emerge as a butterfly in the spring. Help to preserve their numbers and save their lives by opting to compost your fall leaves rather than burning them. Swallowtail butterflies are large and beautiful and easily recognizable, though, in my opinion, not nearly as interesting as their caterpillar form. 

STATS:

Difficulty Rating: 

Crochet Terms: American

Language: English

Finished Size: 30 inches long, 23 inches around at widest point

In-line color changes: none
Skill Level: novice

Shaping: yes

Sewing: extensive

No. of Pages: 12

No. of Images: 24

Also includes: Alternative color suggestions, hidden osmeterium pocket

Golden Retriever Blankie Buddy

The 34nd Dog Breed Blankie Buddy is the beautiful and intelligent Gold Retriever. Originally bred as a companion gun dog, this dog quickly became the number one family and best friend dog of all time! 

STATS:

Difficulty Rating:

Crochet Terms: American

Language: English

Finished Size: 26 inches tall

In-line color changes: none
Skill Level: easy

Shaping: minimal

Sewing: average

No. of Pages: 9

No. of Images: 20

Also includes: links to less-basic stitches used.

Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes

Man on man I love Fried Green Tomatoes! In my opinion, Summer exists solely for the abundance of warmth, watermelon, lightning bugs, and green tomatoes. Tart and fresh and oh so yummy, I have loved these little things my entire life.

What I do not love is fried food. Or rather it does not like me. I would suffer through once or twice just to have the green tomato experience, but if there was a good way to make these without drowning them in oil, then I could eat as many as I wanted! Yay! So this year I decided to find a good way to avoid the frying and still end up with a delicious tomato.

Tofu Recipes (favorites and originals)

Here is a collection of tried and true simple tofu marinades and coatings. Some of these are my own discoveries (and probably not all that original) and some are recipes I have found worked well. I like simple. I like short ingredient lists and ingredients that I (and probably a lot of) vegans always have on hand. This list is here for anyone who would love a new tofu idea. I will continue to add to this page and index these variations on the vegan recipe page.

Please note: 

None of these links are affiliate links. That is not my thing. I link to Amazon a lot because I shop Amazon a lot. If I can't find it at Aldi, Walmart, or Publix, I buy it from Amazon. Yay Prime. 

Peanut Butter Banana Popsicles (vegan cooking with kids)

Clementine is out of school for the Summer and we have many projects planned! This first week I went with something very easy- a popsicle! Lots of protein and carbs for a hard-playing summer day! AND it's so easy a 5-year-old can do it - even with their little brother quite suspicious about what they are doing with his bananas. So, get your popsicle molds and mixing bowl ready for creamy, frozen yumminess!!!