Butterfly

In spite of all outward appearances, this is not a photo of blurry cedar trees. It was an attempt to capture those purple wildflowers and the butterfly, which was flitting from place to place making it very difficult for this self-taught photographer who has yet to master moving objects. (She also has yet to master succinct sentences, although fleeting, unrelated thoughts seem to be well under control.)

Anywho, these beautiful flowers, which were four or five feet tall, sprung up in our daffodil field. (The daffodils only live there in the spring; the rest of the year it's a bulb field full of weeds which the Chesapeake Bay Children love to fly through on the J. Deere Gator. See above about succinct sentences vs. superfluous words and thoughts.)

Every summer my father lets the field grow up wild until the neighbors start to complain the pre-fall cutting. This summer some unusual, brightly colored wildflowers took up residence in the weeds: these tall, lanky purples, a couple of short reds and some brilliant yellows, all interspersed among the Queen Anne's Lace. They were quite the surprise in an otherwise dull, overgrown field.

Speaking of surprises, yesterday I went to Hudgins Post Office to pick up thirty months' days' worth of mail. Nothing good comes in my mail, so I avoid going at all costs.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the p.o. box to see a small package from New York City. Not a bill, not junk mail, but a card and a stroke of luck from Daryl, who sent me a good luck elephant. If I had real internet, I'd show a picture of it now, but since dial-up requires me to stockpile photos and be at the mercy of whatever is in stock, I'll have to wait until the year 2014 I have time to upload some more pictures to show it to you.

The bottom line is Daryl's package was an unexpected beautiful butterfly landing in my otherwise tired, overgrown day.

Thank you, Daryl, for such a wonderful surprise.

p.s. The Farmers Almanac website states that some Native American tribes believe butterflies are lucky; that if you catch one, whisper your wish to it and set it free, the butterfly will deliver your wish to the spirits, who will grant it.