Valentine butterflies
UCSB, Ben knew of a butterfly reserve just outside Santa Barbara, a two-hour drive from Los Angeles, half of it coasting the ocean. Even if we didn’t get lucky with the butterflies, it would be a good day out. When we got to the reserve, the sky was overcast and the temperature quite colder than in LA — Santa Barbara seems to have a microclimate of its own. As a result, the luscious greens of the ground cover were more saturated and walking around was more enjoyable. None of that southern Californian sun that washes out everything. The downside was that the butterflies were not very active. After walking around a path that took us through a beech grove, a few vernal pools and a wide field covered in wild flowers in view of the ocean, we reached the
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eucalyptus grove that is the local roosting spot for thousand of Monarch butterflies who migrate to California to overwinter. The butterflies gather in clusters hanging from the eucalyptus trees and from a distance resemble branches of dead leaves, then when the sun warms them up, they start fluttering around and you see that those dried brown leaves are not leaves after all. They detach form the clusters and reveal their bright orange inner wings. We didn’t see that many flying around, but it was a lovely way to spend the day. And if you wonder why Ben has his eyes closed in that picture, it’s because he was listening to the birds.
Posted by Francesca | 6 comments
Joan
I have just found your site via embroidery web surfing. In one entry you wrote about your disappointment in the Constance Howard Needlework Stitches…..I am searching high and low for that book. If you still have it on your shelves and would like to let go of it, I would be interested in talking!
Thank you
dada
Joan,
I looked around and can’t find that book right now. It might have ended up with a box of old knitting/sewing books I donated last year; I am not sure. :(
Lydia
And just to make me a fool, I look out the window after my previous comment to see it snowing outside. Agh!
Lydia
How lovely. I’ve never seen monarch clusters, but one of these days I will have to. Closing your eyes is the best way to hear birds, and with spring starting where I live, I love hearing them; they sound so joyful.
Claudine
I remember seeing these as a child. Wonderful!
On another note, I think I found another book you might like. It is an Australian published book on Norwegian hardanger (go figure!) I keep trying to find fun things for my hands to do that help them take a break from knitting! I have inter-library loaned a number of books on the topic and this was my favorite. “Elegant Hardanger Embroidery” by Yvette Stanton.
Sylvia
Neat! I haven’t seen monarch clusters in years. Love the photos.