Remember, she said this when she was melting. (Orange Julia)
She was too selfish,
to care about anything beyond herself (Orange Julia, Blue Morpho, Cydno Longwing)
and so she melted. (Side-Striped Hairstreak)
Poor wicked witch.
She could never find joy in a butterfly. (Monarch, Longwing)
Joy finds those, (Postman)
who care about nature, (Gulf Fritillary)
and all her creatures. (Cattleheart)
May our beautiful butterfly world bring joy to you~ (Starry Night Cracker)
Isn’t it all about us? (ME!) Who else but humans find sensory pleasure in gazing upon these multi-faceted, colorful creatures? 🙂
It does seem that much of our world values selfishness doesn’t it. Facebook being one example. I can’t believe how many people post photo after photo of themselves. They never tire of their own image. I also notice that animals people watch, birds people watch, and animals watch other animals. At breakfast this morning, my husband was talking about a bird and a lizard that eyed each other for the longest time. He found it amazing~
Beautiful photos. Always a joy to open up the link to your blog Cindy. I hope that coffee table books make a comeback and yours tops the charts. Or possibly a WordPress slide show where your readers could sip coffee and watch “The Holler” drift by or do “Armchair Travels” for hours on end?
I got butterflies reading today’s post. Thanks for sharing.
You are a dear friend Wally. Thank you so much for your kindness and be well~ <3
“Joy finds those who care about nature.” Completely agree, Cindy. Thanks to your lovely butterflies for carrying the message. –Curt
They make the best messengers don’t they! People pay attention to a butterfly with a message. I certainly do!
I sooo love the last one, Cindy!! I’ve seen Blue Morpho once in a while but never knew its name. We see Monarchs too. Some of those others just don’t get over this way, sad to say. What a lovely post this is — so Spring-like!
It is definitely spring at The Holler. I am waiting for the orioles, which for me marks the official beginning of spring! I saw the blue morpho once while traveling, such an incredibly beautiful creature. You are so lucky to have them around you!
What beauties, especially that last one. I’ve never seen a butterfly in that shade of blue.
Isn’t he gorgeous! There were other varieties that I have never seen before either. They had an extensive variety which was fascinating!
hi cindy you take beautiful wild life pictures
was wondering what kind of camera you use
thanking you matt
Can’t thank you enough Cindy for bringing so much joy, colors, beauty of nature to us! Unbelievably beautiful…! 🙂
Awwww, thank you dear Amy & cheers to you my friend~ <3
🙂 <3
Thanks for that treat, Cindy. Adore butterflies!
Because you care about our beautiful world, so glad you do!
Cindy these images are spectacular! I can not believe the details you capture. Are you using a tripod?
Awww, thank you Sue, no tripod, butterflies are way too flighty! 😉
Such stunning photos and fun words!
Happy you think so & cheers to you my friend~
Cindy, your photography is unsurpassed! A beautiful sight to behold.
What a lovely comment! I am touched. Thank you~
well deserved praise!
What a beautiful array of butterfly pictures, whatever their nature, I cannot take my eyes of their wings 🙂
And their eyes close up fascinate me. I wonder what they see? Maybe we look like butterflies to them! 😉
WOW is the word, Cindy! The pictures made me feel happy…such beauties of Mother Nature. Thanks a lot for sharing… 🙂
Happy is what I aim for and makes me happy too! <3
Just gorgeous. I love butterflies, but sadly enough they are more and more disappearing from our country. Farmers cut more of their fields and poison more of their crops – and the butterflies. A true joy to see that many you have captured!
Yes, it is a tragedy how we treat the natural world, somehow mistakenly assuming we are not a part of it, and will not succomb to the pesticides and pollution, just as the butterflies do. So sad & so ignorant~
Ignorant – yes. Impossible really…but, yes.
This post is like a jewelry box with a Ballerina twirling to music, and all to present the beautiful butterfly gems within…. the Holler!
Gorgeous, Cindy!
ooooooh, I am picturing jewelry boxes with twirling butterflies! How lovely. I bet you could design some incredible ones!
S o beautiful
They seem sent to earth to make us happy. I love it when they hitch rides on me. They did this for long periods in Iguazu, little jeweled hitchikers! Lovely~
I love that image of you covered in butterflies. I have caterpillars ravishing my Pentas flowers but I don’t mind as they will regrow. A friend said ” why don’t you spray?” No way as I want the resulting butterflies
Thank you, IS BEAUTIFUL..
Awwww, so pleased & thank you!
I think, now that I’ve seen these pictures, that fairies are real!
I think you are right and I have even seen them leave fairy dust! <3
Of course you have!
Hi Cindy, Theyre all beautiful, but my favorite was the last one, the Starry Night Cracker. I’ve loved butterflies since I was a boy. Couldn’t bring myself to collect them because I’d have to kill them and I just couldn’t do it. I would only catch them long enough to look at them and let them go. Still feel that way about them. 🙂 Hugs, Cuz.
Yes, those kids who catch live butterflies and pin them to a board alive probably grow up to work in creepy professions. Killing a butterfly is cold! Happy St. Paddy’s Day cuz~
Cindy, these pictures must have taken you quite a while to take, unless there are many butterflies at the holler. I just love them. Thank you for these awesome pictures. Brought me a lot of joy. Thank you for sharing! Sending you hugs! Veraiconica
So pleased you find joy in the butterflies Veraiconica and hugs back to you~ <3
Awesome Cindy, all the love and joy to you 🙂
And to you always. I have told you before how much I admire and support what you do! <3
Thank you so very much Cindy, that really means a lot to me but not only I, you, yourself have an abundance of talent, I always look forward to your next post because not only are your pictures stunning rather the locations, and my favourite is your images of the Birds, I had no idea there so many, amazing photograph’s Merci Madame for sharing 🙂
Butterflies are the perfect example of metamorphosis… I guess we all change as well. Life itself is a succession of changes. Excellent photographs, dear Cindy… 🙂
All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀
Yes, butterflies do transform, but remain in delicate and dependent concert with the natural world. My hope would be that humans might learn from the butterflies, and change their behavior towards all the living creatures on this planet before it is too late. <3
Beautiful beautiful butterflies.
Yes! <3
I get excited when I get one beautiful butterfly in a shot — three different species is beyond amazing. Thanks for sharing.
I know, they create a magical blissed out feeling in me when I am around them. I think it’s the fairy dust they trail around!
In this loud — everyone competing to be heard world — I love to be blissed out as you put it by the butterflies’ silence and profound beauty. Keep sharing please. <3
Glorious! .✶*¨`*.¸¸.✫*¨*.¸¸.✫*¨*.ஜ
I love your butterfly tail! ✶*¨`*.¸¸.✫*¨*.¸¸.✫*¨*.ஜ :star:
ヾ(´▽｀;)ゝ
Beautiful photos,love them all,wonderful work
Congratulations Cindy !
If you love them, then I am happy I posted!
Absolutely beautiful! My 9-year-old daughter is terrified of flying insects, including butterflies, but maybe she’ll change her mind if I show her these gorgeous specimens! 🙂
Ask her if she wants to see one. Let her call the shots. Pick the one photo that seems the least clinical and detailed to you, the prettiest one, and show her only one and tell her if she doesn’t like it, it is perfectly okay, and see what happens. If her response is neutral, tell her you won’t show her anymore unless she wants to see them. If she is afraid, let it be.
I used to treat phobias with sytematic desensitization. She is young and phobias in children usually pass on their own.
Good luck! <3
That’s wonderful advice! She loved the pics and wanted to see all of them! (My 6 year old loved them, too, but she’s wild about bugs.)
Butterflies are flying flowers. Mother Nature outdid herself. Beautiful photos. 🙂
They are flying flowers and Mother Nature did out do herself, wonderful mother that she is! <3
Beautiful images!
Mille grazie~
Such beauty. Sigh. Thank you.
Alison <3
Hope you are well my friend!
Butterflies butterflies I love them.
Thank you! I kinda figured you might~
what a beautiful pictures Cindy
Thanks so much!
Lovely.
Mille grazie!
I took so many sharp intakes of breath at your beautiful photos (one right after the other) that I finally had to exhale! A couple of those butterflies I had never laid eyes on. “Wherever you turn your eyes, the world can surprise you like transfiguration. All you have to bring to it is a little willingness to see.”–from Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson…
That quote is so very true! Thank you for sharing it, and very pleased you enjoyed the butterflies. They lighten our lives! <3
Wow! Cindy. Those butterfly photos are as stunning as the butterflies themselves. I found a beautiful butterfly skirt today in the opportunity shop…too big but I love butterflies so much, I’ll make it fit.
Hope you’re having a great weekend. As I think you’re aware, the camera and I have been out chasing clouds lately. Incredible!
By the way, the message your butterflies is sending me..”Sorry, Ro. Face it. When it’s Spring here, it’s Autumn there.” Yes, cool nights and complaints after hanging out for this cool change. Still have sunny days and 30 degrees. Life is good. xx Rowena
Reblogged this on beyondtheflow and commented:
Welcome to the wonderful world of Butterflies in a Northern Spring. Beautiful!
You are wonderful friend. Thank you so much, and of course you love the butterflies! We see eye to eye when it comes to beauty of our natural world. Be well & cheers to you! <3 <3
How beautiful. Thanks for sharing these, Cindy. 🙂 — Suzanne
Thank you more for appreciating them!
So many beautiful butterflies. I never get tired of seeing them, especially with marvelous photos like yours.
Ahhhh, I am honored. Thank you!
So much beauty on these colorful little wings!
Little jeweled fairies to cheers us up! <3
Stunningly beautiful, and Ah Natural.
Amazing aren’t they!
They’re extraordinary.
Pollinators that brighten our world! <3
It’s early morning, and I thank you…my day started with images of beautiful butterflies. What a good start to the day. Lovely!
Butterflies must release human endorphins. They always put a smile on my face and I am very glad you enjoyed them too!
Wow! Those are spectacular pictures!
I am very happy you think so & thank you!
Hi Cindy. Gorgeous shots! I know how much patience it takes to get one good shot of a butterfly, so I can only imagine how long this took you. Where do you find so many beauties?
I had an advantage in having them all in one place at the San Diego Zoo & Safari Park’s Butterfly Jungle. The variety this year was astounding!
What lens did you use? Your close ups are beautiful. I wish I had my new telephoto lens with me when I went to our local tropical “jungle” last year.
I use my Sony HX400 for everything. It has an adjustable zoom up to 1200mm equivalent.
Gorgeous Cyndy! Wow these are amazing!
Aren’t they incredible. I only see this many varieties when I head to Central or South America.
A beautiful set of photos, Cindy! These would brighten any cloudy day!
I think butterflies send the cloudy days away! 😉
Where oh where did you take those photographs Cindy?? A butterfly zoo?? They are so vivid, so bright, so luminous! — as beautiful as all your posts!
Ahhhh, you are a kind person, thank you! These were taken at Butterfly Jungle at the San Diego Safari Park.
They are stunning Cindy– you must be patient to get so many of them posing for you!!
They are all so beautiful!
The Orange Julia in the first photo looks like a Chinese Empress in her golden yellow royal robe. It may look “simpler” without much patterns, but I personally think that it is very elegant and exceptionally beautiful. 😀
I also really like the Starry Night Cracker. It reminds me of Diana Damrau as The Queen of the Night, singing the Second Aria of Mozart’s Magic Flute. XD
So you love opera too. Is there no end to your talents Hari? You went with the less obvious too, not Madame Butterfly! Be well my friend~
Such beauty. You’ve managed to capture so many different and beautiful butterflies. I don’t have much use or trust for those who don’t care for nature and animals. Your pictures have started my morning on such an uplifting note. Have a wonderful week, my friend! 🌻😻
I know how much you love all creatures Linda. If there was such a thing as reincarnation, I would like to come back as one of your cats. Your catio is da bomb! 😉 😉
Die sind einfach wunderschön Wünsche dir eine schöne Osterwoche liebe Grüße und Umarmung Gislinde
Vielen dank mein lieber Freund Gislinde und Glucklicher Montag!
I love your trip through Oz, and I’m going to reblog in honor of World Poetry Day. (Were you visiting a butterfly garden or do you get all of those in the Holler?) My favorite butterfly is Starry Night Cracker.
Reblogged this on Friendly Fairy Tales and commented:
Visit Oz on the wings of a Starry Night Cracker. Cindy Knoke just gets more magical with every post. Have a wonderful World Poetry Day.
These were taken at The Butterfly Jungle at the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park. Happy Poetry Day Brenda and thank you so much my friend for your kind thougthfulness! <3 <3
Fantastic! I love the photos. They lifted my spirits. Here the only thing flying is snowflakes. 😉