A Celebration of Monarch Days

It is December, the last month of the year. All the leaves are down and everything looks so gray. We've had a few little snows already, but nothing big. The world at this time of year can seem so desolate: all those bare, bony trees. The pretty Christmas lights help ward off the darkness. Soon comes the turning 'round of the light: in just a week or two (yes, I know it's hard to believe!), the days will start to grow longer again.

I was going through some things on this day, and I came across these empty chrysalises, which I had saved. Each one celebrates the birth of a monarch butterfly. We had such a good year for butterflies. Our milkweed patch was home to many, many new births. It was so exciting, just an absolute wonder.

It wasn't always easy, oh no. There were storms when I brought the chrysalises up onto our deck, under the eaves of our house. They were safe there from the wind and rain. And I got to watch them eclose from inside our house, which was awesome and amazing. No, it never gets old! And how I laughed that day my friend christened me Queen Lepidoptera, Holder of the Sacred Wings. It might be one of the best titles I've ever had!

I've been watching the news stories, and I see that it is an especially good year for monarchs. The tales out of California are amazing. We've got butterflies galore there! Our Pennsylvania butterflies, though, fly to Mexico, a journey of more than 3000 miles, to the oyamel fir forests of the Sierra Madres. (I know, doesn't that sound exotic? Go, butterflies, go!)

During the gray times, and the short days, when the darkness seems so long, it is almost hard to remember the long, golden, glorious days of summer, when the air was full of bright orange wings. (And my heart was too!) But oh, my dears, those days will return again. Winter first, then spring, then BUTTERFLIES again!

Oh, those were the days!

The soundtrack song is this one: Mary Hopkin, with Those Were the Days.

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day


P.S. If you live in an area that is part of the range of the monarch butterfly, PLEASE plant milkweed! Thank you! Signed - Queen L.   <3