Meaning to check the fence just before quitting time yesterday, I walked through the passage way to the north side of the grove. When I stepped out from the last line of trees I suddenly found myself surrounded by butterflies. I stood for a time enthralled, while butterflies circled my head and shoulders, occasionally perching on my sleeve for a bit.
They were Monarchs, every one. I think they are beginning to clump together for their long lifetime journey to Mexico. One day very soon they will be gone.
I noticed dragonflies out over the hay field, in the middle distance, seemingly circling the millions of butterflies. Dragonflies are predators, apex predators. But somehow, I doubt they were threatening the butterflies, which seemed pretty much to ignore them. I suppose the butterflies to be more threatened by birds.
That scene all along the northern edge of our grove, which I planted years ago, and which is a full quarter mile in length lifted my heart. When I planted those trees, my head was full of profit margins and straight corn rows. I thought I was planting a windbreak for us and the livestock.
But today I am trying to grow aware as I grow old and I see other uses for trees, butterflies, hay fields and dragonflies. One can rejoice in being alive at seventy five!
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