Friday, July 29, 2011

Snow Rescue

It's been a funny ol' week, but the snow has been magical. I know - it's cold and wet when it melts...and there are piles of very dirty brown/black snow all over the place as the snow melts and mixes in with the quake silt...however, you find beauty in all sorts of places if you look for it.

I may have mentioned before about the park next door and how there is a tree which houses hundreds of Monarch butterflies...the other day when I was strolling through the park with my Whovian Teen making snow angels beside me, I found about 3 Monarchs with their sticky wee feet stuck to snow. They looked so helpless, flapping feebly and trying to move.

I 'saved' three of them....


and put them on a nearby camelia bush to dry out in the watery winter sun.



Sadly, the weight of the snow had broken a large branch of the tree and I found about 8 dead Monarch's nearby, including these two lying together which brought tears to my eyes (yes, even a hardened old hag like me can be brought to tears over some things :-)



If you enlarge the photo you can see that they appear to be holding each other. Nature, I can't figure her out!!




20 comments:

Vicky said...

That last picture is so sad, I am at work and had to hold back tears, but then again I am an emotional old hag today LOL

Steve said...

Aw. Usually I have a real phobia of moths and butterflies but actually your post has moved me to feel compassion for the little blighters. No mean feat.

VioletSky said...

The monarch who come up our way are long gone back to Mexico before the snow falls, so it seems strange to see that combination. Poor things.

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

Your monarch butterfly story and photos are very moving. After our mild winter the snow must have been a killer for a lot of small creatures. I watched the Victoria Park monarchs floating around in the sun yesterday, but now wonder if their companions have suffered the same fate as the Woodham Park ones.

Lynne with an e said...

Butterflies and snow...I never would have envisioned such an unlikely combination. It says so much about your tender heart that you saw the two as seemingly holding on to each other at the end of their time. I hope the falling tears didn't dilute your glass of wine too much.

Nice new look you've got going on here on the old blog. Rebuilding after the quake(s), I guess.

WV: isinnism
The official term to describe the popular philosphy "It is what it is."

Anonymous said...

Incredible surreal entry of yours. Asks nearly for a novel.


Please have you all a good weekend.

The Sagittarian said...

icky- hey I can be emotional at the dumbest of things these days!

Steve- Thanks, but how come you have a phobia of these things, they're so cute. (MInd you I have a friend who hates them, says they have mean faces!!)

Violet Sky- I was surprised to see so many of them still here too!

Jeneane - I have seen a few floating about the past few days but not many, I thought by now they would have gone somewhere warmer and wonder if the quakes have dulled their instincts some how?

Louciao- haha, no my wine managed to stay industrial strength (I might be soft but I'm not silly!!)

Robert- I trust you are enjoying your weekend as well. Cheers, Mate!

Marja said...

ASo sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marja said...

ASo sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marja said...

ASo sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marja said...

sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marja said...

sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marja said...

Sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marja said...

Sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marja said...

Sorry to see these poor butterfies and good on you to safe some. Butterflies are my favourite animals They are amazing in every way

Marginalia said...

Good on ya' I suppose you're Monarchist.

The Sagittarian said...

Marja - thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you....

Marginalia- By George, you're quick witted! :-)

The Poet Laura-eate said...

Awww, bless your cotton socks. Sorry to hear about the ones beyond saving. They must be very confused about the time of year if they are still flying around. Have the earthquakes messed with your weather?

Stickup Artist said...

Oh wow, snow and butterflies. That's a strange combination! The first shot is truly awesome and the dead ones are tragic. Don't they migrate? Here in California they migrate to Mexico from Canada for the winter and have specific places they stop every year along the coast. It is a magical thing to see whole towns overrun with butterflies.

Margaret Pangert said...

Hi Saj~ It seems Mother Nature has turned everything topsy turvy there this year with all the earthquakes~ and now the butterflies and snow emerging together.