Tyler Arboretum

So, last Wednesday we went back to Tyler Arboretum and had a good time exploring.  There's so much to see and do!  Devan was so excited and wanted to see everything that he didn't stay in one spot very long.  He was ready to see what else there was.  We ended up visiting 7 of the 13 tree houses.  And the butterfly house (which was mostly caterpillars, but in a couple weeks there will be tons of butterflies!).  We will be back to see the rest of the tree houses, the maize, children's garden, and the pond.  And hopefully will be back again at the end of August for the butterfly festival where they tag and release hundreds of monarchs.  Now that would be really cool to see!

 

The ogre's crooked house

What are those silly stick people doing way over there?  Devan was too excited to see the tree house that he didn't want to walk over to look.  Maybe next time.

 "Imagination Station"- down below there was a stage and dress up clothes

 A gnome house

It kept getting smaller and smaller as you wound through the tunnel.  Yes, it was a struggle to get out ;)

 "Tree Hugger"- overlooked the woods

 "Backyard Memories"- just like a fort you would build as a kid

 Then we went through the Enchanted Forest, where fairies and elves and gnomes made their homes.

 This was where the fairies played

 Lexi was not a fan.  For some reason she was scared of this place.

 Found a little stage area.  Looks like it got hit hard from the storm though.

 

"Strummin' and Drummin'"- it was in the shape of a guitar and inside was musical instruments.

 "Outlook"- looked really cool, but Devan said he couldn't get back down by himself so we didn't go up (what was Lexi going to do?)

 Then we came across the vegetable garden and these huge frogs :)

 "Thoreau's Cabin"

 So many swallowtails everywhere!

 Then we found the chairs that belonged to the 3 bears :)  We were here a long time.

Before we left, we stopped at the butterfly house.  They had 5 different kinds of butterflies in there.  We saw the monarch caterpillars at all different stages, and a couple swallowtail caterpillars.

Monarch caterpillar:

This black swallowtail just emerged from its chrysalis (you can kinda see it on the stem right below the butterfly).  So we got to get a good look at the butterfly as it sat, drying its wings.

 Swallowtail caterpillar: