Chicago’s storms delayed our return from college reunion / anniversary travel by about a day but when we got back we found new life waiting for us in the garden. Pictured: a monarch caterpillar on milkweed and a robin’s egg in a nest.

A caterpillar with distinctive black, white, and yellow stripes crawls on a large green leaf, next to a cluster of pink and purple flowers.A bird's nest is nestled in a corner, holding a single blue egg.