Milkweed are now blooming at the garden. In other parts of the Ottawa region the flower buds are just emerging, while in sheltered locations they have been flowering for over a week. This is of course, the iconic flower, associate with the Monarch Butterflies. I wonder if we will see any this year. They had a very tough winter in their Mexican wintering grounds, with heavy rains, hail, mudslides wiping out their trees, etc. Nonetheless, they are migrating northward. They are being seen in small numbers in various parts of the northern US and in Ontario. One was found near Carp some weeks ago. So far, I have not seen any, but am hopeful!