The good Lord gives us talents. I have several, one of which is drawing from nature. Actually, this one is from a photo I took several years back. It is a Monarch Butterfly on a flower in Memphis at the Lichterman Nature Center.
The Autumn of 06, while sitting out in the front yard near dusk, I looked up and noticed that flying above were hoards of Monarchs overhead. I instantly realized that they were headed south, along their migration path to Mexico.
No, I didn't get photos as I was more enamoured with watching their flight.
This spring I planted a huge pot of dill. Growing ever so faithfully, I first noticed small caterpillars devouring them. What were these creatures that were partaking of my delicacies? As they grew, I realized they were Monarchs. After feasting on the dill, their yellow bands turned a lime green. Disappearing from active view after finishing the dill, I knew my dill had not gone to waste. Next year, I will plant more dill just to enjoy the evolution and propagation of the beautiful Monarch butterfly.
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I the mid-sixties I lived in Pacific Grove, California. As some may know, the Monarchs on the west coast make a huge trip from Mexico to the U.S. every few years. Why not every year? I don't know. But the northern end of the trip always ends in Pacific Grove...just like the swallows and San Juan Capistrano.
While living there, I went out for a jog one afternoon and immediately noticed something wrong with the huge Ponderosa pine trees that made up the field near my apartment. I jogged over and discovered that essentially every square inch of every needle was covered with Monarch butterflies. I still have pictures, if I can find them. It was more than breathtaking. Not hundreds, not thousands, not millions...but BILLIONS of beautiful butterflies. One of the two times in my life I have felt genuinely spiritual.
The residents of Pacific Grove are rather blase about this. When I first asked someone about all the butterflies, he said, "Yeah, this happens every few years." And he just kept on reading. How can one be so unengaged in the presence of a miracle?
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