HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - BUTTERFLIES AND FLOWERS

More pretty flowers and butterflies, this time from Meadowlark Gardens in August 2011.

I could sit and watch butterflies for a very long time. At Meadowlark there is a garden especially designed to attract them. There were dozens on this occasion. In the photo above you can just make out two almost in the center, their fluttering around us was almost like a ballet of carefully synchronized movement, which was mesmerizing.

A butterfly says, "The caterpillar-me is history,

My metamorphosis a mystery, and today...

Today is a present my struggle gifted me.

~Manali Oak~

"Butterflies...flowers that fly and all but sing."

~Robert Frost~

And what's a butterfly? At best he's but a caterpillar at rest.

~John Grey~

Did you know that there are about 28,000 butterfly species in the world?

Butterflies cannot fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees, or so I read. Any experts out there that can verify?

I saw several on my walk and I noticed that some had had a very tough time of it. In the picture below if you look closely at the butterfly on the right, something seems to have taken a bite out of its wing. There were quite a few with battle scars. 

Do you see it? It looks like it had a very lucky escape.

A butterfly is a miracle,

A divine creation that fleets,

After propelling the caterpillar within,

An array of predators it cheats.

~Dr. Maisie~

As you can see, I had a wonderful time taking photos of butterflies back then. I haven't had as much success lately but hope to put that to rights next year.

It makes me doubly happy I have these photos to look back on.

I recognize the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and the Monarch, a couple of Skippers, but I am a bit fuzzy on my other butterflies.

 I definitely need a refresher course. That's my aim this week. I will come back and ID if I can.

I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free.

~Charles Dickens~

Thank you for looking 

and 

Happy Sunday!