TheTurned-Into's

I trace my fascination with flowers and gardens and bugs and such back to this pretty little book -- a gift to my mother from her father in 1922 -- "Brought to Virginia by Daddy - from Washington, D.C. - July 8, 1922" it says on the title page. She was five.

The book stayed around and is part of my earliest memories. It tells the story of Jane Elizabeth and her summer in the country where she meets Prince Tiger Swallow Tail, the June Bug Twins, the Baby Froggies, Jack Hornet, the paper maker, Lady Luna Moth, Trap-Door Spider, Grasshopper Grey, Little Miss Hop-Toad, and quite a few others.

It was a wonderful introduction to nature and the miracle of metamorphosis- the caterpillar that become s a beautiful moth or butterfly, the jellied strings of eggs in the pond that turn first into tadpoles and then into frogs or toads.

The illustrations by Janet Laura Scott are marvelous. I'm sure the picture above of Humming-Bird Moth visiting the hollyhocks is why I prefer the old-fashioned single forms to the modern fat carnation-type hollyhocks.

And look at this evening scene with fire flies for illumination and and a buggy orchestra playing away while frogs dance with joy and moths and dragon flies swoop to and fro. How could I ever dislike these creatures?

Elizabeth Jane is such a pretty, prim little girl with her old-fashioned wardrobe. I can remember wishing I had a rain outfit like hers.