[dropcap]P[/dropcap]lease substantially complete outside holiday décor by the end of the first weekend in December. DecorScouts will take notes on Sunday evening, Dec. 3 and Monday, Dec. 4. The online ballot for Décor Recognition is ready the second weekend in December.

Then, the third Friday in December, 15, is Loving Mountain City’s Santa Party with a hayride past the houses with award signs.   The “voting” process funnels to this magical evening of fun for our kiddos.

Loving Mountain City has 10 major award signs:

1. Grand Prize

2. People’s Favorite

3. CHRISTmas

4. Color

5. Creativity

6. Elegance

7. Santa

8. Sparkle

9. Theme

10. Workshop (created in workshop)

And, the city is divided into segments for additional recognition, recognizing the “best décor” in 16 fairly similar-sized sections.

Jack C. Hays Ct + Mountain City Drive; Juniper + Hemlock; Cedar (2), Pin Oak (2), Poplar  (2), Maple (3), Live Oak Drive (3), Ash, and Pecan.

The Décor Recognition gives applause to neighbors who “Light up the City” and fill their yard with holiday delights.  The children on the hayride might literally clap their hands.

The child in me came out to release a Monarch butterfly last week. My friend Wyana Edelman, known as “The Butterfly Lady”, gave me a crysallis one day with word that it should emerge soon. From across the house RonTom called me to the kitchen table the next morning. As I sipped coffee, the new butterfly held me captive for an hour or so. Glory!  What an experience.

Photos of “my” monarch’s release onto butterfly weed include a queen butterfly in the frame.

Side by side, monarchs and queens look different. Monarchs have a “stained glass” pattern on both sides of their wings.

In my experience, usually when folks around here say they have a lot of monarch butterflies they actually have a lot of queen butterflies.

Monarchs travel to the mountains of Central Mexico for winter.  The butterfly I released last week may be well on her way to Mexico, travelling about 22 miles a day.

Already, most monarchs have arrived in Mexico.

Already, I need tidbits for next week. Please send to [email protected] (subject: tidbit) or phone 512-268-5678. Thanks! Love to you, Pauline