Monarch Butterflies 3 – The Mystery is Solved

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This morning, I noticed more Monarch butterfly wings on the ground below the butterfly bush.  This only means that they died overnight.  I picked them up and decided to look at the tree to see if I could explain why this is happening.  It wasn’t until I was checking out the butterfly tree for a second time around that I noticed a green leaf move slowly.  I checked it out and there it was – the culprit, a Preying Mantis.  Although Monarchs are supposed to be poisonous, this little guy seems to have found a way around that.

I decided to  check this out and it seems that Preying Mantis have adapted to eat Monarchs.  I found this video in YouTube, which tells the story and it certainly happens at a blue butterfly bush.  Check out the link here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfsJMKOMcis&feature=player_embedded

Here is a picture of my little guest (not so little) who is having a huge food fest.

It is a bit tricky to see the Mantis because she is perfectly camouflage.  Focus on the center of the picture and there it is, in a vertical position heads down.

So the mystery is solved, and although I still feel sad about the fate of the butterflies, at least I am glad that the Mantis is surviving – it is the natural course of things, the cycle of life.

Monarch Butterflies 2

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I don’t know what is happening with my blog but this is the second time I have to cut a post in two parts because when I publish the original it only shows half of it and the rest of the post is lost.  So back to the Monarch butterflies.  Here is the other half of the post.  Please refer to the previous post so you know what’s going on with these Monarch wings.

Monarch female wing – no black dot.

More male wings; there is one that looks as if it had been picked thru by a predator.  This is unlikely as Monarchs are poisonous to birds, insects, and mammals as they have milkweed in their system, from when the larvae nourished itself with milkweed.

I don’t know what I will do with these beautiful wings, maybe I will frame them, but they are too beautiful to discard.  They remind me of the fragile beauty of this Universe and of how blessed I am to be able to admire it.  It is a priviledge that I don’t want to take for granted.

Sad but beautiful Awakening – Monarch Wings

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This morning, as I sipped my coffee outside, I was talking to my husband and noticed one Monarch butterfly wing on the ground.  I picked it up and was observing its beauty and for the first time realized that it feels similar to a bird wing, except thinner.  Then my husband told me that he saw another one behind the butterfly bush.  We went to see if we could find it and found tons of butterfly wings all over.  It was a sad and beautiful thing at the same time – the only way I can describe it.  I picked up the wings and believed that there most have been tons of butterflies that die; however upon closer inspection of the wings, I realized that maybe only 4 or 5, according to the wings remains.

What caused their death?  I am not sure, but the other day, as I was observing one that was flying I realized that it was too cold for them and wondered why they were still around.  I am not sure if these are the last generation of this year matting but it certainly looks that way, as their color is very intense and bright.  This means that these butterflies did not make it to migration to the south.  A few wings were showing sings of a predator picking thru it, but most were whole.  Later, I decided to learn a bit about monarch butterflies and found a great website which I will share with you for when you want to learn a few interesting bits of info – http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/

On my research I learned that most of the wings belonged to male butterflies, as they have a black dot in one of the veins.  I also learned that there are four generations in a year – March/April, May/June, July/August, and September/October.  The last generation is the only one that gets to migrate, the earlier generations die.  So I am not sure if these are from a third generation that died or from a fourth generation that was born and died due to the recent cold temperatures.  I doubt that they were eaten by predators, since Monarchs are mostly poisonous to birds, insects, and mammals due to their diet – Milkweed.

When we moved into this house there were no flowers or plants only grass.  Over 10 years, I had grown a garden and planted two butterfly bushes which feed a lot of butterflies and even the occasional hummingbird.  I get tons of hummingbird moths as well, an amazing sight.  One time I attempted planting carrots and got butterfly larvae eating on them.  I left the plants so the larvae could nourish from it and continue its life cycle.  The larvae was Monarch butterfly larvae.  It was feeding from carrots; however most information I have read points out that it only survives from milkweed.  I don’t know but they were eating carrot plants and pooping to their contentment.  Later that season I saw tons of beautiful monarchs being born.  One of them even came to me when I was sitting on my steps, and rested on my hand, as if saying thank you for feeding me.

Here are the pictures of this morning’s findings, what looked like tons of fairy wings.

Tons of monarch wings in hubby’s hand.

Monarch wing.  This is a male, see the black dot in the vein.  The rich colors suggest that this might be a fourth generation that never got to migrate.

More male wings.  I think by the amount of wings we found on the floor, maybe four or five butterflies the most – two or three males and maybe the others were female.  These were Monarchs and not Viceroy butterflies which look very similar.  Check out this link to see the differences in the wing pattern, go down to the picture at the end comparing the two butterflies – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_(butterfly

 

 

 

 

 

WWJD? The Humanity of Evil

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Jesus Cleansing Temple Mormon

Image by More Good Foundation via Flickr

This morning I visited my FB page and found a very sad and horrible picture being passed around – it was of two kids hanging a puppy and enjoying the act (for what their faces could tell).  The person(s) who shared the link was asked to keep posting it to see if these people are caught and punished.  I love animals and all living things, and in a moment of rage, I shared the picture with the plea, and used some profanity directed at the abusers.  This prompted this post.

I am not one to like that kind of language but the rage that boiled inside me when I saw the picture gave way to those words.  Then, feeling a bit sorry about my poor choice of words, I thought – In that case, WWJD?  Immediately the scene of a Jesus irate at the merchants in the temple came to mind.  Apart from his divinity, at that moment of anger, Jesus was being human – his humanity was leading his actions.  I thought, “Ok, I can’t compare myself to Jesus, but I understand why I reacted in such way – my humanity.

Then, I thought, “Wait a minute!  Why were these kids committing this crime?  Because of their human condition?  Because of the evil that we humans are capable of and let out many times?  I pondered the issue and realized that we all are capable of committing evil, whether in the name of God or the Devil (if you believe in such) or just by the fact that we are human.  My reply to the picture was “I wish they die the same way … (and other words that I not dare repeat here).  The point is that in a millisecond, out of fury, I saw myself hanging those kids and enjoying their death as punishment for killing that puppy.  At that moment, was I worst than them or equal?  I don’t know, other than I was angry at their evil act, and they were enjoying their evil act.  That is the only difference I can find.

So WWJD?  I don’t know other than I am sure that he would not just stand there watching these kids kill a puppy and I doubt that he would open his arms and say “Come here my children for you have sin.”  No, he would probably be as pissed off as he was with the merchants in the temple; however, there is nothing written as if he hit one of them or not.  Maybe that is the answer – it is fine to let your emotions out and your true feelings; however not always ok to act on them.  As humans, we are capable of acts of Love and Evil; as spiritual beings our nature is one of Love.

Daily Inspiration

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(Computer generated) Dawn at the North Pole

Image by pakitt via Flickr

Today’s post is dedicated to the Desiderata.  This is one of my favorite pieces to read over and over.  The Desiderata was written around the 1920’s by Max Ehrman, a lawyer and poet from Indiana.  Here is a link to the entire poem – http://www.sfheart.com/desiderata.html

The history of this piece is quite interesting, so I will share this link if you want to know more about it – http://www.fleurdelis.com/desidera.htm

This is certainly one my favorite pieces for inspiration and one that I turn to when I need a bit of solitude and peace – it grounds me.  I urge you to read it, you will see why.  To me, it is very important to find daily inspiration and whether it is from poetry, a picture, a painting, a song, my pets, or a beautiful scenery, it is one thing that keeps me going and puts a smile on my face.

We live in a material world, and sometimes, besides spirituality, we also need something tangible to give our senses – the scent of a flower or perfume, of a favorite food, the sound of nature or a favorite melody, the colors and shapes in a painting or the ones found at a particular spot that brings you peace and delight … All those things help ground yourself and they can become a source for tuning your soul and finding a spiritual connection in a material driven world.

The point to all this is that you don’t have to sit for hours in a yoga position (unless you enjoy this) to find a bit of grounding on your daily living, and a bit of inspiration to fuel your day.  When you pay attention to these things – you are present in the moment, and that is all .  The millisecond that went by is gone, and the future has not arrive yet.

Clothes Shopping – An Eye Opener

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Illustration depicting thought.

Image via Wikipedia

I consider myself observant, and many times I look for clues on my daily living – I believe that messages are everywhere, as well as inspiration.  While wandering at a few stores, I decided to check out the clothes section, I’ve always been fond of fashion.  When I started touching the many fabrics, I noticed how thin the articles of clothing have gotten over the past year.  I compared inexpensive brands to expensive designer brands and found that this was not related to price, as the more expensive brands were also lacking in fabric thickness and even quality.  Then I wonder, why is this?

I had to ponder this some more, so once at home, I thought about it some more.  I came up with a few possible issues that may be influencing this trend.

  • Signs of the current economy – My first thought was that it is probably a reflection on the overall worldwide economy and the need for cutting costs and save on materials and manufacturing costs.
  • Signs of conservation – Then I thought that it could also mean that we are being more sparse with resources and conserving on materials, as the Earth may be lacking, due to the many climate changes that have been felt worldwide.  This has also affected production, import/export of material, and of course, money.
  • Signs of a new world order – My last thought on the issue hovered on the planet’s resources and the need for using less raw materials and the need for recycling materials, which may probably end up in products being less dense and a bit lighter, thin …  At least, if this is the case, it is a good thing that manufacturers are using less material and recycling what they can – it helps the planet.

I did not ponder the issue much more than that, most likely, it is due to a combination of factors – resources, climate, economy, production/manufacturing issues …. however, it is certainly a sign of the times.

Wrestling with Your Characters

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Tapping a Pencil

Image by Rennett Stowe via Flickr

I’ve had a hard time writing my novel for the past couple of days – not because I was not in the mood to write, or because I was procrastinating, but because every time I sat down to write the next chapter, I got off the chair and did something else.  Now, that may have sound as procrastination, but I knew that was not the case.  I decided to think about it some more.  Why did I turned back once I decided to write that next chapter?  It puzzled me and annoyed me as well.

Pondering about the issue, I discovered that I was having an issue with one of my characters.  Yes, as weird as it sounds, this character had grown strong and had taken over, behaving and reacting differently from what I had planned.  Opening that computer file to write meant having a writer’s confrontation with my character.  This presented an issue that I disliked to ponder – had I lost control of my novel?  Was I being intimidated by one of my characters?  I had to ponder about this even when I did not like the idea.  I did.

My findings were very interesting.  I had to admit that I was wrestling with this character from the beginning of the story, like it or not.  The problem is that it is my main character.  This issue presented another bigger issue – should I stop writing the novel, should I continue wrestling, or should I listen to this character and give in to it?  In this case, is her.  Well, I needed to decide, otherwise my story would be frozen indefinitely.  I did.

I realized that I had to go back to the beginning of the story and try to understand this character’s reasons.  I decided to look for the moment when the writer-character conflict started and understand the why.  This is my compromise with her.  To some of you, this may seem bizarre and a bit “cuckoo” but it is the compromise I had to do to continue writing the story.  I agreed to put my writing aside until I go back to those chapters and realize my issue with it – after all, it is my issue, and not the character’s issue.  I created it, and I am having the problem; or is it a challenge?  Does that mean that after all, I am in control of the story?  Well, I cannot answer that until I find out, and that is another post.

The Story with a Heartbeat

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Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Image via Wikipedia

Some stories are alive; others are dead.  A story has a heartbeat when it manages to touch the reader and evoke feelings and emotions.  This is how I know that a story has touched me deeply – I cry, I pause for a long time, I get goosebumps, or I can’t stop thinking about it, for days, weeks, or years.

The first book to touch my soul was Jonathan Livingston Seagull from Richard Bach.  A few years ago, I managed to find an autographed copy on Ebay, and I reread the story.  I loved it again, maybe more so.  It is still my favorite book.

This morning, I read a story on a blog – The Jittery Goat – and the story made me cry.  It was sweet, had a great pace, and it touched my heart.  The short story is called “A Sunset for Claire.”  You never know when a story is going to touch your soul; you can’t predict it, it just happens.

Why it happens?  Who knows; it is one of those things.  Maybe we connect with it at a deep and personal level, maybe it reminds us of something, it gives us hope, it talks to us at the right time, we get its genius … the reasons vary from reader to reader.  However, I consider this a treat when it happens.  I like many stories,poems … however, just because I like them and think they are great, that does not mean that they reached my soul – some do, some don’t – this is how it is for me.  This is why I always approach a story with a sense of respect, because I don’t know how much I will get from it and how it will touch my heart.

What is the story or poem that has touch your soul?

The Most Amazing Thing that You Ever Saw

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Lunar libration. see below for more descriptions

Image via Wikipedia

What was the most amazing thing that you ever saw?  It may not have been a fancy or  elaborated thing, trip, experience …  It may have been something very subtle, but that left an amazing impression in your memory, and you remember it with much delight, and even awe.

For me, this was just a simple event – the first time I saw the moon through a telescope.  I must have been about five years old, six the most.  I was visiting the neighbors kids next door and their father, a pastor, had a home telescope set on their balcony.  He was watching the moon craters.  He told me to come over and see and I did.  The magical image that I saw has stayed with me all my life, and it is as clear today,  as that exciting moment.  I must have always had a fascination with the moon.  According to my mom, when I was a toddler I used to point at it and call it LULU.  Today, I love to look at the moon, which I can see  through the big window when I am in bed.  I love when I wake up on some nights, and the moon is just right there, positioned just so perfectly that the light hits me in the face – I love the moonlight, it is so refreshing.  And so, talking about it I have been inspired.

Here is a poem for the silver lady.

Silver Lady

Of silver and pearls

every night dressed

dashing with your light

caressing my face.

My very best friend

lullaby of light,

so gentle and pure

constant thru my time.

On new moon, I miss you

playing peekaboo

Full moon is here

playing with my mood.

If the day would come

when I don’t see you,

It could only mean

that now I’m with you.

What was the most amazing thing you ever saw?  Think about it and be inspired.

The Creative Octopus

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I am writing this post thinking about those people who are torn between many creative endeavors; simply put, they cannot commit to only one.  If you are like me, you probably cannot work only in painting, writing, or handmade crafts – your creative energy is so strong that you have to do it all, otherwise, you feel strapped down and incomplete.  This can be a challenge, specially because there are only so many hours during the day, and many times you have to deal with the frustration of not being able to dedicate more time to some creative projects.

You have heard the adage, “Jack of all trades, master of none” – well that is something we have to contend with and if we are going to dedicate our time and efforts to all our creative passions, we may have to focus a bit more on one to be able to move forward – there has to be a certain balance, otherwise you end up with tons of projects, lots of creative energy, but nothing done to full completion.

If you are making a living this way, it gets more challenging as you have to deal with all the documentation and paperwork that goes with it, to keep it IRS happy – these activities eat a lot of your creative time; however, they are necessary.  If you work outside the home as well, and have a family, this could get very stressful, and you may end up feeling tired, overworked, but mostly, with your creative hands tied up.  Again, balance is the magic word.  However, singles and couples without kids have it easier, no doubt about that.  There are many other activities and commitments that come with the fact of having a family.

How can you tend to work, family and your many creative passions?

The answer, not at once.  I have found that as long as I know that I can dedicate some time to pursue my passions, I am happy.  For example, I focus on my writing, and dedicate time to my other passions, whether it is one day a week or more than one.  For example, you can dedicate part of your Sunday afternoon to painting or an hour on Wednesday evening.  Maybe your Saturday mornings can become your crafting sessions … you have to find  what works for you.  If you have a family, they have to learn to respect your creative time as well.

If you are a creative octopus and decide to give up painting to dedicate your efforts to writing, for example, but your soul is hurting for some brushstrokes, then your writing will suffer as well, because you are tying up your creative Muse.  Finding a way to keep duty, love, and creativity coexisting together is not easy, but attainable.  For many families, what started as a one person creative endeavor, ended up as a whole family business.

Give your Muse enough time to play with all your passions, while focusing on one artistic venue.  Sometimes, creative octopuses become overwhelmed by their own creative energy, and abandon it all, as they think that they cannot do it all in one day.  That is the clue – not to do it all in one day, but instead, to dedicate one day to each one of your creative passions.

You can enjoy all your artistic passions, but one tentacle at a time.