"Aren't I lovely?"

"Aren't I lovely?"
Originally uploaded by Leenechan

I got up this morning to find a monarch butterfly drinking from my butterfly bush "Petite Plum." So far we've had nothing but boring (but cute) little butterflies, so I was excited about this one.

It was ever so patient about me taking its picture, even stretching its wings out so I could get a better look. I wonder if that bird I freed from the window earlier this week told the butterfly that I was kind to wild creatures...

Gotcha!

Gotcha!
Originally uploaded by Leenechan

It stopped for me at last tonight. What a lovely swallowtail butterfly!

Pasta with Beef Short Rib Tomato Sauce.

Pasta with Beef Short Rib Tomato Sauce.
Originally uploaded by Leenechan

Christopher Kimball's The Kitchen Detective is one of the greatest cookbooks I own. It doesn't feature a wide variety of recipes, but all the ones I've tried have been beyond delicious.

I've made this fantastic meat sauce with shredded beef short ribs twice before, but this time it was especially good.

It has minced carrot in it! ^o^