The Butterfly Effect

I spent the morning sorting through photographs. I need five for MrQ's Order of Service and I'm going to make a montage to frame and take to the reception. I decided to take a break at the time he died last Saturday. As soon as I stepped outside the back door into the the sunshine I saw this brimstone butterfly fluttering lazily around the ivy bush. I'm pretty sure it's a female. It's almost impossible to get a shot of the flighty males early in the season as they are so intent on patrolling looking for females. Another indication that it's female is the light colour.

In a way it was comforting to encounter this butterfly. In many cultures butterflies are associated with the souls of the dead. MrQ was visited in hospital as he was fading by a woman called Rachel, a volunteer from the Butterfly Hub. She held his hand and chatted to him and covered him with a beautiful hand-knitted blanket. We were touched.

PS The song Poor Butterfly is another of MrQ's favourites.