Tiger Swallowtail on Rhododendron

Every spring, the rhododendrons in our yard go crazy, with huge flowers in shades of pink and purple. The bumblebees adore the blooms, and in fact, they compete for them. I have seen both very large and very tiny bumblers fighting over a single bloom, looking a lot like Laurel and Hardy! VZZT! vzzt!

Sometimes the big yellow butterflies come to see them too. In fact, it happens often. I was sitting on the porch the other day holding the cat in my arms, when TWO - count 'em, TWO! - huge butterflies showed up to feast on the blooms. Of course, it was a cruel twist of fate, as with a cat in my hands, I could not grab my camera!

But on this day, my husband shouted from the front door: BUTTERFLY!!! (You might call it the Husband Butterfly Early Warning System.) And I ran out with my camera, and there it sat, on one of the big blooms. It flitted all around, slowly visiting a number of flowers; taking its time, allowing me all the photos I could get. A magic moment.

June is a big birthday month in my family. My dad turned 90 on this day, June 4th. (Yes, 90!) And my older sister Barb, who went to Heaven last summer, celebrates her first celestial birthday on the 5th. In honor of the occasion, I planted a butterfly garden. It was for the butterflies, of course, but it was also for her. As when I see the butterflies, I will always think of her, our Butterfly Girl.

Some say that butterflies are travelers from the spirit world, carrying messages from loved ones who have gone on before us. Perhaps it was bearing this message: We see your butterfly garden, and we butterflies are waiting and watching with interest.

We see and accept your offering. ~ with great love ~ The Butterflies.

The soundtrack song for this magic moment: The Police, with Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.