In having revisited the article on “Butterflies and More Butterflies” today, I could not help but recall a day one summer. At the time, there was much discussion, locally, about development of an area in town, on the Concord, NH “heights,” that contained a lot of pines. The habitat was significant because it was home to a rare butterfly, the Karner Blue butterfly, if I am spelling that correctly. There was only one other known area where that butterfly lived, and in going ahead with the agreement to tear down every last pine, there was a chance that the type of winged creature would become extinct.
Today, the loss of a species, especially a type of butterfly, does not matter much to those who would stand to make money with a construction project. The worst case scenario happened, and the area that had been a forest of pines is now full of shopping options. However, that angle of the story is not the one I started out to cover.
A Little Fresh Air/ A Beautiful Butterfly
That late summer, I happened to be in the yard with my mother, who was visiting us, at that time. She was having trouble getting around but was enjoying looking at our flower garden and getting some fresh air. She was holding onto one of my arms, and she suddenly stopped near a patch of Cinnamon Phlox.
Casually and slowly flitting around the Phlox was the most beautiful blue butterfly that I have ever seen. I stood, staring at it for the longest time, hoping that doing so would imprint its image on my brain, forever. Alas, I could not linger as long as I would have liked. Jim had cooked us a nice dinner and was calling us inside.
Right after supper, I grabbed a book that we have on butterfly identification, and headed back out. The magnificent butterfly was no longer in sight, nor has it ever been seen again. In looking at the book, I do not believe that it was a Karner Blue butterfly. In fact, I could not find any butterfly resembling it, in identification guides. We rarely see any kind of butterfly In New Hampshire, other than Monarch butterflies, or sometimes yellow butterflies (I know, there is another name for them…).
Nature’s Creatures
Nature is full of surprises. One time, I certainly jumped back in a startled fashion, when working in the garden in late fall. I went to move a “rock,” and it turned out to be a big old “Granddaddy” toad, half-burrowed into the ground, and getting ready for his own type of hibernation amongst the dead sprigs of Coreopsis. That same afternoon, a bright yellow and black spider, the largest and most gorgeous spider I have ever seen, was spotted in that same patch of dead twigs.
My yard is full of wonder, as is all of nature. I hope that you, too, take every chance to spend a little time outdoors. One never knows what will come into view.
I can make a butterfly quilt, but only the Master of the Universe can make a beautiful blue butterfly.
Wishing you love and comfort,
Patricia
