Butterfly Kisses

Butterflies and little girls -- no prettier combination exists in my mind.  With my abundant flowers, butterflies are everywhere in our yard, and I've discovered that butterflies won't fly away if you approach them from behind.  Apparently they don't see you, and you can actually touch them -- even with your nose.  The numerous tiger swallowtails that frequent my yard often have a wing span of 4 - 5 inches, and they are gorgeous beyond description.  I can tell if a particular butterfly is rather young or old depending on the condition of its wings.  Young butterflies have perfect wings with bright colors, while older ones often have pieces of their wings missing, broken by the storms of life, and fading colors.  So far, I've found 2 Monarchs fallen to the ground in my gardens, their life cycle complete.  I'm still finding Monarch caterpillars, but despite numerous caterpillars, I've yet to find a chrysalis anywhere in my yard, so I'm keeping a vigilant eye for them.  I'm continually amazed that so many caterpillars can eat my plants and then 'disappear' when they chrysalize, making it a challenge for me to locate even one!

My granddaughter, Cami, loves my flower gardens.  When the wall was built this past April, she asked if she could walk through the garden, and I told her certainly she could, so off she trotted, skipping and dancing through the short path.  When she emerged, she exclaimed, "It's just like Duke Gardens!"  Cami is a lover of nature and animals, so when she's at our home, I spend time with her exploring our yard.  We never have any trouble locating little toads; they are so numerous in our yard that one has to be careful not to step on them!  Recently when she was over, I explained to her that she could 'kiss' a butterfly and that it would 'kiss' her back if she could get her nose up to one, so off she went.  Actually getting her nose on a butterfly was a challenge because every time she got close to one, it would fly away, but she never gave up, patiently following the butterflies as they flitted about.  Finally, she was able to get her nose on one, and the butterfly flapped its wings slowly against her face!  What a precious moment for her!  She was enthralled with the experience!  The attached photo is a true Kodak moment.

Just as Cami had to chase the butterflies to get what she was after, so we too must chase our dreams.  With my 61st birthday looming this weekend, I realize that I still have unfulfilled dreams, dreams that are worth pursuing.  Dreams give us hope for something better, something accomplished, something completed.  The Bible says that without hope, people perish.  Pursue your dreams; keep hope alive no matter what desires dwell in your heart.  Seek first the kingdom of God, put your hope in the Lord, and He will bring your dreams to pass.