Life

As many times as I've watched and photographed monarch butterflies emerging from their chrysalids, I don't think I have ever gotten this particular view.  And it was sheer luck today.  I knew that 5 butterflies were going to come out today as their shells turned transparent yesterday allowing me to see the black and orange of their wings.  So, every half hour, I would rush out to check.  And as I was watching another butterfly unfurl her wings, I happened to see this one just as it's shell cracked open allowing the butterfly to eventually slip out.  As many times as I've seen it - it never gets old.  I am loading two other images in Extra taken of this same butterfly over the course of about 2 minutes.  In the second shot you can see its withered looking wings and relatively huge body.  As I write this, the butterfly has pumped the fluid from her body into her wings which are big and beautiful and perfect in every way.  

This year, as always, I am sending each butterfly on it's way with the memory of someone who has passed.  If you want me to remember someone this way, just leave me a message below or email me (see my bio).  The butterflies that are emerging right now will be the last breeding generation here, meaning that it will be their offspring that make the epic journey to Mexico.  They are fragile beings and yet also remarkably durable and strong.  Miraculous, really.

So last night I went outside wearing a jacket, hat and long pants just at sunset, with murder on my mind.  I approached the yellow jacket nest and carefully aimed the tube into the nest hole...when out flew a bunch of angry wasps, one landing on my knuckle and stinging me.  Which really hurts, by the way.  I retreated and waited until it was fully dark, adding gloves and a scarf wrapped around my face and did my foul deed.  Which apparently didn't succeed since the little bastards are flying in and out of the nest hole today.  So tonight I will don my warrior suit yet again.  And the knuckle, incidentally, is now swollen and itchy as all hell.  

Jax and I had a nice walk this morning, meeting up with several neighbors along the way as well as one dog.  Jax's manners have improved so much although he still gets excited when he sees dogs or kids.  And foxes.  As we were walking up our driveway, I spotted a fox sitting at the edge of the hill overlooking the back yard.  And Jax spotted him too, immediately lunging to the end of his leash, fully hackled.  The fox took off and I managed to get Jax into the house.  Had he been off leash, he would definitely have chased the fox.  

Thinking of dark with ginger today, always a favorite.

xo
Debbi