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11/17/10

I is for Ivory and Insect...The I's of Texas


Here's the thing...there have been NinePosts about the Acorn China Cabinet and it's Treasures for the month of November.  I'm not finished, and I didn't want to break the China Cabinet Chain. 
So, I've had to dig deep inside the bottom shelves and to the back of the drawers to come up with an Acorn China Cabinet Letter I. 
Eureeka!!! The Ivory Lace Placemats and Napkins and Candles!!!

I call these Vintage Placemats 'The Monarch Mats' as the lace pattern is so much like the Monarch Butterfly Wings.  Notice the exact repititon of symetrical designs in both.

That takes care of Ivory! 

And now in keeping with my Texas Alphabe~Thursday Letter I Lesson!

I is for Insect....The State Insect of Texas...The Monarch Butterfly!!!

Yep it's true!
The Monarch Butterfly became the Texas state insect by a 1995 resolution of the state legislature.

The Monarch is unique among butterflies in that it is the only species of butterfly that does not hibernate, but migrates in changing seasons. It undergoes four changes in form (metamorphoses) during its lifetime:
  • It begins as a tiny egg.
  • In the second stage it becomes a black, yellow and white striped caterpillar (larva). During this stage, the caterpillar sheds its skin (molts) up to four times as it grows to its full length of about two inches.
  • In its third stage, the monarch forms a protective covering called a chrysalis, or pupa. This pupa is shiny and green with gold speckles.
  • In its final stage, the monarch emerges from the pupa as a beautiful black and orange butterfly.
This entire process takes about a month. There are usually three to four generations of monarchs produced each year.


Texas is in the Monarchs Migration Path on their way to Mexico.  This much anticipated event has Entomologyist...like me...planting butterfly gardens from the Panhandle to the Rio Grande.

 I posted about the Monarch Migration HERE.

I took this Photo of the Monarchs in early October as they swarmed into a Mulberry Tree.  So much for my Butterfly Garden flowers.  I was lucky to get this shot, and disappointed that I couldn't get up in the tree....HiHoney put his foot down about the tree climbing!


The Acorn China Cabinet will have run it's course, and it's last post this Friday for
 Lynn's Give Thanks Blog Hop. 
 I hope you will come back to see why my White Mikasa China is so special  for Thanksgiving.

thevintagenest

Now it's time to Trot over to Jenny's Alphabe~Thursday

For More Of
The Letter I

28 comments:

  1. Absolutely lovely! I am so excited for Thanksgiving, it's the one time of year I bring out the good china and set a pretty table. Not as pretty as this one though!

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  2. Hi Sue! Your pictures sure are lovely.
    Hope all is well in Texas. I am thankful for my purse that you sent; I get lots of compliments!

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  3. Such a pretty place setting. Very vintage.

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  4. Anonymous11/17/2010

    The National Geographic Channel does a great story about the migration of the butterfly.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYRiPTJ9JE

    Di

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  5. G'eve Sue ~ I love butterfly(s) ... wish I had been there to see them on that bush, what a fab sight.

    Your elegant table is set so exquisitely. Love those gorgeous table mats.

    Where do you live in TX?

    Have a beautiful & blessed Thanksgiving holiday.
    TTFN ~ Marydon

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  6. What an elegant "I"vory placesetting. Great pictures of the butterflies. Glad you didn't get up in the tree.

    Have a great week.

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  7. I would LOVE to see a mass of butterflies on my shrubs or trees~ what a treat!

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  8. Anonymous11/17/2010

    Breathtaking butterflies!!

    Gorgeous table!

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  9. Your table looks so beautiful can't wait to see what you do for Thanksgiving! Have a great week, Esther

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  10. Your table looks gorgeous! Now you COULD place a few Monarch butterflies around....hmmm.

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  11. Sue, your table is gorgeous and so are the monarchs covering that bush. I have to say, I didn't know that the monarch is our state insect. Didn't even know we had a state insect. LOL
    ~ Sarah

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  12. Anonymous11/17/2010

    JDaniel wants to know if your beautiful table is in restaurant. I told him that that is in someone's wonderful home.

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  13. Lucky you to be on the monarch's flight path! I'd love to have them land in my mulberry tree.

    Beautiful table setting. I'm glad you realized Ivory was perfect for the letter I. :)

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  14. Beautiful picture of the monarchs. I had them stop and spend a night in one of the oak trees in my pasture on their way south. Such wonderful creatures!

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  15. love the butterflys....

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  16. What beautiful pictures!

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  17. What a beautiful table setting! You seem to be all set for Thanksgiving!
    Beautiful butterflies.
    Best wishes,
    Anna

    Anna's 'I is for Inventor'-JennyM's AT

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  18. what exquisite settings

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  19. lovely I entry,
    I used to live in Texas, have a lovely day.

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  20. What an exquisite table setting! I love the ivory lace placemats! They're beautiful! Love the butterflies too :) I've never seen monarchs in person but I've seen photos. It must be amazing to see them all fly around at once, right? Either that or terrifying since there's so many of them!

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  21. all of your treasures are beautiful

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  22. the monarch reminds me of Iron butterfly inagoddavida haha. Those are beautiful Ivory plates and the setting is gorgeous . well done .

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  23. You set a beautiful table! I enjoyed seeing all your treasures.

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  24. Ivory and insects, what a great combo! Sometimes a few monarchs fly through our yard as they head back and forth on their migration to the coast. I don't think we're directly on their route, but near enough for stray ones to tootle through. I'm happy of that.

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  25. What a beautiful table. Elegant, simple, sparkling...

    I think you could probably just serve turkey potpies and no-one would notice...

    Love monarch butterflies. My children used to tag them when we lived in Ohio. It was always one of our favorite summer activities.

    Thanks for a wonderful link to Alphabe-Thursday!

    A+

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  26. What a beautiful table. I hope your Thanksgiving dinner is wonderful!

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