Dear Curiosity Journal,
When I look around the farm and see monarchs flourishing in the year following their categorization as an endangered species, three reasons come to mind; regenerative farming practices, an increase in milkweed and other flowers, and Rufus’s personal passion for the monarch caterpillar. When we first started dating, I thought it was so sweet how he gave special attention to these little creatures; mowing around the milkweed, moving chrysalis to safety, and making sure they weren’t squished while he went about his gardening tasks. I often find photos of monarch caterpillars in Rufus’s phone, and today he showed me a TikTok he created featuring his favorite transformational friend, which was totally adorable and made me laugh out loud. Befriending bugs may be quirky, radical, or revolutionary depending on how you look at it. I’ve always found it quite endearing.
~Joy