OK! So that is what my butternut squash plant has been doing. There have been small(ish) blooms for a while and I wasn't seeing anything else, then one day I saw a little 2-3" squash with a big blossom on the end of it. Didn't really think about he/she blooms. Cool!

@DotLewis I give people loofa seeds and have to explain that it can be as much as a month from the time that the first male flowers show up and fall off before they finally get a fruit. If you want to insure pollenation, pluck a male flower and rub the female parts with the pollen of the male flower. (it's late and I can't remember the names)

@glennlab Thanks, I get the process you describe. I will try that as the "garden" they are in has a wall around it and I wondered if it is getting enough pollinator activity. And, I REALLY want some squash this year.
Can you tell me, if I see what looks like a little squash but the bloom is still fresh, does this mean that little squash will whither if pollination doesn't occur? I may be overexcited, thinking there is a squash growing.

@DotLewis As long as pollen will still stick to female parts, it hasn't been fully fertilized yet. You should have male flowers at least 2:1 on the plant so it won't reduce the number for natural pollenation. If the squash starts to wither (it happens more than anyone like to admit) remove it from the vine that will force the plant to put out more fruit to replace it. In small gardens, it's fine to over manage. Keep me posted.

@DotLewis Something to watch out for with slow growing members of the squash/gourd family is what is called blossom end rot. This is a softening of the fruit near the blossom, as the fruit starts to mature, there is nothing you can do to reverse it, so pick it and use it. It's still good, but if left on the vine it will rot and you will get nothing but it will tax your mother plant since she is trying to feed it.

@glennlab Thanks!!