JUST AS I THOUGHT

I ha taken more than enough pictures in my garden (amazing little creatures coming to enjoy their meals) and I walked towards the door I saw, of course I saw, where do my eyes not rest I sometimes wonder, this butterfly sitting, eating perhaps, on a botanical rose bud. The weather had been bad since seven o'clock, dark and grey the sky, but with a high ISO I had thought to try my luck anyway.
And I had had luck indeed. But this butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines, or Orange Tip) did me hold my breath. Slowly and very carefully I came nearer.
She did not bother at all, just sucked (that's what I thought at that moment) the rose bud. I did take a lot of pictures but knew that it would be hard to find one good picture at all. So I took my extension tube set, thinking I could give a try.
Not a really good idea.
Time for lunch. I nearly had eaten my sandwiches and off I went again. Now with a torch and flash settings. I doubted if it would make a difference.
From all side I tried to capture a specific impression of this quiet and amazing butterfly.
Then suddenly it did hit me hard. This poor creature was dead! That was the reason she did not move! Poor tiny insect.
I found that I had a couple of shots that would do in one way or another. I phoned Mischa, asked her to look at flicr and tell me what she thought.
A dead one, again, I said to her. Mischa reacted enthusiastically.
When Piet Hein and I went for a short walk, I wanted him to show my find. To my surprise the butterfly was gone. I looked at the ground and elsewhere.
She was nowhere to be found. Had she flown away or......?

My haiku:

I hope you do live
Little butterfly with those
Large staring eyes

And the proverb:

The joy of the heart makes the face merry.

1601 T. Wright, The Passions of the Mind.