Waiting for spring

As we wait out the cold winter days, in the warmth of our homes, I keep thinking about how many more weeks it will be until we see some signs of spring. The grass is a light tan color, the daffodils are just starting to show some green shoots (NO! get back in the ground!) the butterfly bushes are sickly-looking and we crave some sunlight.
One way to help overcome this feeling is by taking a butterfly-related course. Check out the Association For Butterflies' list of courses: Disease in Lepidoptera, Monarch Raising for Teachers, Butterfly Releases for Event Planners and Funeral Professionals, and Butterfly Gardening (How to attract 10 or more species without really trying). I will be conducting the last class, beginning on February 23 for four weeks. This is an online class, where you can access the material at your leisure. If you complete the coursework and pass the quizzes, you will receive a certificate stating that you are a "Certified Butterfly Gardener." See www.forbutterflies.org for more information and a class syllabus.
Also, if you happen to live in the Washington, D.C. area, I will be a guest speaker at the Capital Home and Garden Show at the Dulles Expo Center on February 27-March 1. My topics? Butterflies, of course! See you there! Linda Marchman @ Social Butterflies