A Haven for Vee

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Majestic Monarch

Not only did my neighbor bless me with her photos of P*atrick D*empsey (see yesterday's post if you missed them), she also favored me with a fresh-from-his-cocoon monarch butterfly. Apparently, I'm the only one in the neighborhood with flowers left. She said that monarchs prefer to dry out on a flower where they can get some nourishment.

I spent a delightful afternoon watching the process loving every minute.





I'm told that those two black dots on either side of his back signify that he is a male monarch. (Don't quote me, though.)

In the end, he caught a stiff breeze to the rooftop where I am certain it was much too hot for his wittle toes because he soon headed due east landing in the pine tree. There he looked like a rusty leaf and that was the last I saw of him.






In other news, I'm so enjoying your photographs of autumn. Keep them coming! Things are beginning to color up here, though it'll not be the best foliage season we've enjoyed.

John and I are going to dig a trench today to run our wiring underground. That should be fun! Don't worry, I'm premedicating.

28 comments:

  1. Oh, I love Monarch butterflies. When my mom lived near the beach, we would take walks this time of year. Hundreds of Monarchs would follow us along the way. I love your photographs with the light hitting the branches and butterfly in just the right way.

    Stay safe while you run that wiring. Wishing you a safe and productive day.
    Karen

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  2. Your monarch is so pretty. I love watching them, too.

    We're not going to have the best fall color show here either. I've noticed a lot of trees are just going to be brown.

    Careful with those wires!

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  3. What a beautiful butterfly! How fun that he spent some time in your garden.

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  4. Vee,
    Gorgeous pictures. I stopped by to see your other Featherweight friend and I am going to get a certificate for the machine from Singer! Neat!

    Carol

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  5. Beautiful photos, Vee!

    Lindsay took a beautiful shot of a Monarch on a purple cone flower in Maine...it's one of my favorite photos from our trip...

    Have fun today!

    Deanna

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  6. Hi Vee,

    I just changed my Avitar to a photo of me...gray hair and all. I thought I would stop back and show you my new photo, so you'll recognize me when I leave a comment.

    karen

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  7. That is a gorgeous butterfly.

    OH oh .sounds like hard work ahead. I am figuring you might be done by now and sitting enjoying a cup of tea. Hoping .. .

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  8. An amazing experience! And thank you for sharing your lovely photos and video. So, so, so, so, so beautiful. -happy sigh-

    Full Hunter's Moon on Wed.! Will you have your tripod all set up, to catch it????? We are counting on you, ya' know!!! (Pressure! Pressure! Pressure! -giggles-)

    Digging. Yikes. Eeek. Yikes. I can't imagine it but you are way younger than I, so you can.

    Whoooo-wooooooooo... I sense in your future, a long, hot soak in a tub, this evening.... Whooooo-whoooo-woooo. :-)

    Gentle hugs,
    "Auntie"

    "October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight, and the enduring constellations above them once again." ~~Hal Borland

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  9. We love butterflies, but Monarchs and Swallowtails are, as you said, majestic. We always try to have some host plants in our yard. It's fun now that the butterfly weed comes in several colors. Love your experience with the monarch - a great way to enjoy a beautiful day.

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  10. Beautiful photos of the monarch butterfly and the video is wonderful. I felt a sense of peace as I watched it.
    Good luck with your trench digging.

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  11. I've been digging in the dirt also. Cleaning out a canna bed and giving away all the bulbs. Hard work.

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  12. Are you out in the trenches?

    You captured that Monarch beautifully...on film. I ran out with my camera last week...and my Monarch decided not to pose for me.

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  13. Mr. Monarch is certainly a handsome fellow. So glad you could capture him on film (so to speak).

    I hope the digging is going (has gone) well and you are still on speaking terms with your fellow trench digger.

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  14. Beautiful butterfly photos Vee! I must keep my eye out here but I suspect they've already moved on as we're farther north. I've seen a lot of those wooly black and rust caterpillars around though. I wonder what they morph into?

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  15. gorgeous butterfly! You did good capturing his beauty! They don't pose very often! We don't see many of the large ones here and I love their majestic beauty!

    Hope you are having a great week!
    Jen

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  16. how beautiful. And the photo are wonderful!

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  17. You took some really fine pictures of the butterfly!

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  18. Good idea to pre-medicate those muscles! Beautiful shots of the Monarch...

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  19. That is quite a handsome butterfly! I haven't seen one in awhile.
    Fall colours are peaking here in Ontario! Not our best year either but, good enough.

    Hubba hubba on the Patrick Dempsey pic's. Who knew he ALWAYS looked that good!

    ((Hugs))
    Laura

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  20. I'm so glad you decided to add the video! He's just beautiful.

    Happy trenching (how's that for an oxymoron)?

    Blessings, Debbie

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  21. Hi Vee!

    What great photos of the Monarch! We have lots of milk weed in my area, so every now and again I get a chance to see their majesty! Lovey video too!

    We still have green leaves on our trees - very slow at turning, so, I am excited to see if we get much color this year!

    Nice pictures of Mr. Dempsey!

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  22. Beautiful Monarch. They are so detailed!

    How did the trench digging go? I went to see Courageous for the second time...this time with our Moms. So very good!!

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  23. Vee,
    He is gorgeous! Good luck with the wiring, too!

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  24. Aren't Monarchs pretty? Thanks for sharing these pictures. Don't work too hard, please.

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  25. Hi Vee - I'm a little late getting here today. Beautiful Monarch - I haven't seen any come through here this year. I think they may go a little west of us, not sure about that. You captured it just right with the sunshine!

    Be careful running that wire! Best to get those things done before you're covered up in snow!

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  26. Wow, you have an awesome camera! Your neighbor is right, your flowers are still gorgeous - what's your secret? Keep it up, whatever you're doing. Premedicate? Humm, I'll have to remember that.

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  27. Your photos are spectacular Vee. I'm glad I took the time to catch up on your previous posts!

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