About a week ago, McD and I went for a ride around the place. Loading up in the Ranger and cruising around is just a way to relax together. Usually, I take my camera along just in case I see something that catches my eye. This time I just wanted to relax, soak up the sun, and enjoy McD's company. Big mistake! Huge! (Movie?)
As we made our way into the canyon, I saw several Monarch butterflies. I asked McD to stop so I could watch them. He did, and we sat there in awe. You see, we watched a documentary on Monarchs a while back, and talked about how cool it would be to have them around here.
After watching the butterflies for a while, we turned around and came back to the house. We went out again the next evening, but instead of turning back around after only seeing a couple of butterflies we kept going. When we drove down into the canyon behind the house, we saw lots of them floating around.
Again, we sat there in awe.
I've never been a big butterfly fan. I mean, I've always thought they were pretty, but I never chased them or went ga-ga over them. Today, I go ga-ga over them. I could sit and watch them for hours.
So, last Sunday night, I asked McD to take a walk with me. This time I was taking my camera. There was no way I was going to miss out on pics again.
I had taken a hundred or so photos when I realized that McD was bored. I told him that he could go back to the house, if he wanted. As he was making his way out of the canyon, he stopped and started whispering.
He said, "Julie. Come back towards me, but take a really wide swath and come up on my left." At the time I was to his right, so I did as I was told. I had no idea what to expect to see, and I never expected to see so many Monarchs.
This is just a few of the limbs covered in butterflies. There were lots and lots of butterflies just resting on the leaves. Thousands of Monarchs are in the canyon behind our house, and we never knew.
The document we watched said that they stop at the same places as they migrate to warmer weather, so they might have been here every fall and we didn't know it. I keep walking back down there to see if they are still there.
I can't even begin to describe the feeling I get when hundreds of butterflies are flying around me. It is awesome!
