Flutter by

Before anyone gets jealous and thinks that we are either on an exotic cruise or summer has arrived early in Michigan; this butterfly was on exhibit at the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids.

Every year they have thousands an thousands, coming in as chrysalises, and transforming into moths and butterflies.
It's steaming hot inside the exhibit: 85F (about 30C) with an 80% humidity. But, it's worth a good back sweat ;)

I spent most of my time chasing the elusive Common Morpho.
Size wise it should be an easy photo target, but when it's not flying its (brownish) colours make it invisible and when it flutters it's VERY visible (vivid blue) but so fast there's no focusing possible. Not for me anyway :)
While I was standing my ground, trying to catch the Morpho the second it opened its wings, this little thing was sitting right next to me. Posing. Not moving.

Then, a woman came up to me and said:"I know you've been trying hard, and I know it's not the same, but there's a Morpho sitting with its wings open right over there, by the window on the cement".
Thank you, kind lady, for that.
I took some shots and while it was too far away for my camera to get a really good one, I got some that were good enough just for me.

After the butterflies we had a loooong walk around the Sculpture Garden and visited the Michele Oka Doner exhibit. Her art fits in so well with the concept of the Gardens; outside there's sculptures in nature, her work is nature inspired sculptures.

On the way back I fell asleep. So many impressions in a day :)

Tonight, we'll have pizza and shut off our lights for Earth Hour (8.30PM)


Blip-rejects:
Hello there!
Pretty in Blue