Two years ago I wrote a blog post called Flutter Fun about the Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale. I was there with my kids. The other day I took Mom and my uncle and aunt to visit the butterflies.
As before, they had the stunning blue morphos that are brown camouflage on the outside and bright blue when the wings are opened.
They had many new species in addition to the original beauties.
A few butterflies pressed up against the few windows, trying to get out of the atrium. I felt sad for them, but most of the butterflies seemed to be concentrating on eating.
Hubby and I also took my aunt and uncle to Sedona and Flagstaff. Then I ended up sick afterward, probably because I managed to get myself pretty tired keeping up with an 87-year-old (my uncle who is my dad’s twin).
I remember that post, Luanne. Has it really been two years? I hope you’re feeling better!
I know–when I was it was two years, I couldn’t even believe it. Thank you so much, Jill. I started an antibiotic yesterday, I am hoping that I will start to feel better soon. Not usual for me to get sick like this! That’s what that generation does to me haha.
Enchanting butterflies, Luanne! What a lovely vision to start this Washington’s birthday. Hope you feel much better soon.
Yes, they are so very lovely! I started getting sick while I was there, but felt better around them. Of course, I got worse and worse after I left :(. Thank you for the well wishes!
I hope you’re feeling better, Luanne! That will teach you to try to keep up with an 87-year-old! 🙂
Butterflies are so beautiful and sort of mysterious, too.
I’m not sure if it’s still there, but the Academy of Natural Science Museum in Philadelphia had a butterfly room. We were members when our girls were young, and my husband used to take them there regularly. You could walk in and the butterflies would flitter about and land on you. Magical.
Yes, that’s what it’s like. Very very magical. I’ve had a butterfly piece I’ve worked on for a couple of years, but never get it how I want it because they are so mysterious! Thank you so much for the sympathy–it almost makes me feel better!
🙂
I love Flagstaff, remember our visit there many years ago. Those 87 year olds will wear you out! My mum’s just turned 80 and she doesn’t look or act it! Hope you feel better soon 🙂 xo
Thanks so much, Sherri. I love sympathy when I’m sick :). I feel like a big baby!
Ahh…it’s nice at times like this 🙂 Get well Luanne <3 xo
Sorry you’re feeling poorly! I really wanna wear someone out when I’m 87, but not so much they get sick.
Beautiful photos — I’d love to see the Morphos like that! 🙂
They are so gorgeous. They also fly faster, or seem to, than the others and much more difficult to catch on camera. Thanks for the sympathy! I’m sure my uncle feels bad about it haha!
Never try to keep up with the old retired guys! They are like energizer bunnies!
That is it exactly! He’s great, and you’d never know he was 87 either! I might add that he has a full head of hair and it’s still quite salt and pepper, definitely not white.
Ah, blue morphos are my favourites, I met some at the natural history museum in New York, when one settled on my hand and wouldn’t leave – I had a couple of blue butterflies tattooed on my chest as a reminder 🙂
Blue morphos are so spectacular, in part because they are so fast and in part because of the startling difference between one side and the other of their wings. They are very hard to catch on camera.
Butterfly sanctuaries are always fun to visit. But they’re usually stuffy and warm, so I don’t last long in them. 😉
I did take my sweater off, but it was pretty comfortable the whole time we were in there. It was only when we went to leave that I realized how warm/humid it was. And it was well worth it!
I hope you feel better soon! I love butterfly pavilions if they’re done well. We went to one in Montana where there were two butterflies and 50 cocoons and man in the corner taking a nap. The one up in Niagara Falls on the Canadian side was lovely.
I don’t feel better yet, although I thought last night that I was getting better. Ugh. Oh, that butterfly pavilion in Montana sounds excruciatingly painful. It would make me sad. I’m glad you visited one that redeemed the experience.
Get feeling better soon, Luanne! I enjoyed your photos of beautiful nature at its best. Thanks for sharing, and watch out for those 87 year olds!
Thanks so much, Mark. Ugh, my uncle is amazing haha! I feel like such a wimp. I can’t keep up with them in any way! I’m glad you enjoyed the flutterbyes!
Nice photos, Luanne. I love those blue butterflies! We have gone to see the monarchs in Pacific Grove, a good place also to get a wee glimpse of one of the old Steinbeck homes (but people live there, so we didn’t want to stare at it for too long; just a drive by glimpse). Hope to visit Butterfly Wonderland someday (and to just see Scottsdale!). Feel better! I just finished a round of antibiotics. :/
I don’t know if I ever told you this or not, but Pacific Grove is my favorite place in the United States (vies with Assisi for best of the places I’ve been to). Come visit me in Scottsdale!
Thanks, Carla. I am still sick. I could feel the antibiotic kicking in, but unfortunately it got so entrenched I might need a second course ugh.
Me too! No, you had not told me that. And I agree that Assisi is a close runner up! I am sad to tell you that my sickness has returned (relapse), and today I had a fever on and off after thinking I was completely over it. It’s a persistent virus, I think, since the antibiotics I took did not seem to eliminate it.
I hope you feel better (much better) soon, Luanne! Butterflies are so cool. One of the museums in Gainesville, FL has a “butterfly rainforest.” I need to dig out my photos (or check to see if I did put them on my blog at some point). It’s a couple of years since we were there, but it’s really wonderful. Very peaceful too when there’s no school children tramping through. They have benches where you can see and watch the butterflies. Sometimes they even light on you 🙂 Take care!
I can’t imagine bringing a class of kids through one of those places. Now that I’m thinking about it, I feel squeamish. Trying to keep them from accidentally trampling the butterflies! It was hard enough for Ms Clumsy Feet here to keep from doing so! Thanks, Marie, for the well wishes!
There were a few docents (?) keeping people on line when we were there … including admonishing my husband to not touch the butterflies 🙂
LOL
It was nice to have your father’s twin around, aunt and your mother, too. Does your uncle tell stories you haven’t heard before about family or your Dad as a boy? I think I saw this and was a better in touch friend when you posted this, Luanne. The pretty blue Morphos, with brown outer sides to wings protecting their true selves, are so gorgeous! 🙂
I so agree about the blue Morphos!! Just lovely!
My uncle does tell me stories about his childhood and of course my dad is in many of those stories! It’s so interesting to listen to him. Their world was so different from mine. I wish I could have protected them!
Hope you are on the mend.
That older generation are made of strong stuff!
Jean, I am getting better, though the allergy season is now in full force here with the blossoming of the dreaded sweet acacias, so I’ve moved right into that type of sinus issue!
Oh you poor thing. It’s hard to win when one is an allergic type. Shows sensitivity, though. Always remember that!!
Well, everyone is bothered by sweet acacia haha.
I saw you had a “no comments” post but wanted to say, “Hope you are feeling better, Luanne.” ♡♡¤▪•°°•▪¤♡♡
Thank you so much, Robin. I am now getting better!
Luanne I have always wanted to go to a butterfly enclosure, its on my list. Hope you are on the mend xxx.
Kath, I hope you get to do it before too long! Is there one nearby?
No Luanne like anything in rural Australia we have to drive to one of the big cities. But I will find one.