For Shirley

Monarch #119, a big strong female, emerged at 10 this morning.  I had taken the enclosure up to my sanctuary since the morning temps were cool, and Charlie and I got to watch #119 as she pushed herself out of her chrysalis.  It always makes me hold my breath watching them slowly push free, wondering how they don't fall.  I watched as she used her palps (her third set of legs which are stubby little nubs) to "zip" her proboscis together.  And Charlie and I watched as she slowly inflated her glorious wings.  Carefully, I moved her to my softbox for a couple of photos against a plain black background. (Full body shot in Extra).  When it was time, I took her outside and placed her in a sunny spot.  And when it was her time, she lifted off and floated high up into a blue sky.

At the request of one of my Blip-friends, she is flying in memory of Shirley who passed from this mortal world this week.  

Later in the afternoon, I spotted a red-spotted admiral and a red admiral in the garden.  Interesting that although they are both called admirals, they are actually different sub-families; but both in the Brushfooted Butterfly family.  I bit of useless information that I felt compelled to share for some odd reason.

Two Common Ravens (who really aren't all that common here) were drifting way up high over the house this afternoon, in complete silence.  In fact, it was the silence that caused me to have a closer look.  Ravens mate for life and pairs stay together all year; compared to crows which form larger family groups.  In flight, the easiest way to identify them is either by call or by the distinct wedge-shaped tale.  I'll put a photo in Extra just so you can see the tail shape - it's an awful photo, but at least it shows the shape pretty clearly.  Crows, by comparison, have a fan-shaped tail in flight.

And the Big News that I alluded to yesterday...our Nephew and his wife welcomed a healthy baby boy to the world yesterday, our newest Grand Nephew!  Welcome to the world, Nicholas.  I can't wait to see where your life takes you.

xo
Debbi