Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Buds and Butterflies

An Eastern Comma was sunning in the backyard
when I came back from my walk.

I am so pleased to see her!

The Red Bud is budding.

The French Lilac is in bud!

On my walk I saw for the first time ever
a Goatweed Butterfly!

My heart is beating fast!
The butterflies have emerged!
'Tis a joyful day at my house.

15 comments:

smilnsigh said...

Ohhhh, the lilac is budding!!! Oh happy sigh....

M-N

Q said...

Dear Mari-Nanci,
I do not know if you remember my Lilac last year. It was in full bloom when a week of temperatures in the 20's took all the blooms. It was a very sad week. I hope this year, since the Lilac is budding at the correct time not so early, all will be fine. I love the Lilacs! I will be watching every day.
The butterflies are back! I made it! Yeah...one more year to celebrate the beauty and the grace of the butterfly.
Sweet butterfly wings,
Sherry

Chrissie said...

I have never heard of French Lilac! Love the butterflies, isn't the camoflage just amazing.

Q said...

Dear Chris,
The French Lilac is not as deep a purple as the native lilacs in my area. I would love to have what we call "Old Fashion" Lilacs. I also have a white lilac bush I started from a start.
I was very excited to see this little butterfly!
So fun!
Sherry

Lisa at Greenbow said...

How cool is this. Finding butterflies already. I haven't seen much of anything. Great pictures of the buds too.

Anonymous said...

I had a little catching up to do here with your past 6 post! I must admit that I love seeing all yoru photos and for sure seeing the butterflies return makes me happy! Can't wait to see what other shots you get of them! Keep up the great work!

Barbara said...

Indeed, what a joy to see butterflies again...unfortunately not yet in my garden. I still have to wait...

Cheryl said...

It is indeed a joyful day, who could not be happy to see the butterflies. May more come to you soon Sherry.

Q said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Q said...

Dear Lisa,
I am very excited to see Butterflies again. I saw a Mourning Cloak fly through the front yard but by the time I was able to get outside I could not find her.
These early butterflies are not flower nectering. They will come to rotting fruit. I have also seen them on jelly.Once the butterfly season begins I am in good shape until next December!
Sherry

Marvin said...

We are seeing a wider variety of butterflies daily. They will be up your direction very soon. I'm looking forward to seeing your photos of them.

Let's hope we do not get a repeat of last year's late hard freeze. That was a heart breaker.

Q said...

Dear Tom,
Once I started feeling better I was able to get some pictures. LOL Spring is a busy time of year! I hope to do a little different sort of photo essay this year. I have done bird and bug reports for a couple of years now. I am interested in finding an "artistic" approach...LOL
I can always add a bird or butterfly report!
I am planting native so that should help with food for the butterflies.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Barbara,
With so many blooms in your garden I would think the butterflies would be awake! I have not seen very many yet but at least I know they are starting to wake up.
I miss them so very much in the Winter.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Cheryl,
I do love the butterflies...very, very much.
I love the bees too and am a bee girl but I must admit when I see a butterfly my heart just pounds with excitment. Some people need a steep hill to climb to raise their heart rate I just need a butterfly.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Marvin,
Oh my goodness, last year WAS a heartbreaker. I was spraying sugar water on green leaves so the butterflies had some food! I lost so many plants last year. I am okay this year even if we get a late frost. The tenders have not bloomed yet.
I hope to do some "artistic" work this spring and summer with the butterflies. I have thousands of pictures and I am ready to do a bit different. Not sure what different is yet. I will see what the butterflies have to say about posing!
We will have fun!
Sherry