First a comment on butterflies - wife won't let me cut down milkweed since
she found out that it is the host plant for Monarchs. We got a lot of it and
yes we have found some chrysalis around. Always a thrill to try to be there
when the new Monarch comes out. And we attended a Monarch briefing at Cape
May a couple years ago where we learned to determine the sex of the Monarch.
With our upgraded binocs we can do it well.

    As for fishing, as you all know I am the greatest fisherman in the
entire history of my house. (yes, I bought it new) However you also know I
eschew spinning tackle for the fly rod. One benefit of that is that the only
monofilament around when I fish is a 2-foot section at the end called "the
tippett". And that is a rather thin, low-test grade that is designed to make
it hard for the fish to see it. Thus I don't feel real guilty when I lose my
tippett several feet up in a tree where I can't retrieve it when it breaks
off. First of all it is too short to entangle a bird and if it should, there
is a better chance the bird can break free because it is so light gauge.
    The guys that leave monofilament around are mostly bass and perch guys
that fish from shore. A guy in a boat has a better chance of going over
where the line is snagged and doing something about it. At the lake across
the road I find line laying around all the time, usually snagged on
something. If I can, I roll it up, stuff it in my pocket and dispose of it
in the trash. Once I had to free a crow that got caught up in some and of
course I got bit trying to help. The crow and I both survived the ordeal and
he flew off.
    My advice to fishermen is always to take the busted scrap line with you.
That's why your vest and/or tackle box came with so many compartments - so
you will have some place to put it.

Jerry Tarbell
Sitting here watching a Hummingbird fatten up for the trip in Carroll County