Flutterby
I love butterflies. I always have. I remember as a child laying on the grass, very still, waiting for butterflies to flutter by. They always came. I could feel them.
As I grew older, I thought of butterflies as the words of a favorite quotation: One Life – a little gleam of Time between two eternities (Thomas Carlyle). I was amazed at how the two eternities of caterpillar and butterfly were connected with that little gleam of Time. Time that means so much in the magnificence of the metamorphosis.
Now that I’m a grandma, I have an even keener sense for Time and the eternities it connects. Each day gives me another gleam of light, of love, of Time… and I don’t wish to squander even one moment.
So you can imagine my delight yesterday in taking Audrey’s boys to visit the Flutterby Exhibit at Providence’s Roger Williams Zoo. Butterflies. Hundreds of them. All magnificently transformed by a gleam of Time into fluttering delights. They danced and soared and alighted and capered and teased and fluttered by.
I could feel them. I was ecstatic that William, Alexander, Benjamin and Henry could feel them, too!
Sharon, God bless you for giving your grandchildren so many wonderful experiences. These are the moments they will cherish and hold dear and close to their hearts throughout their lifetimes, from now to adulthood to old age.
What a neat place to take them. I love butterflies. These are such precious memories for your boys. While you were there, I had my 3 boys at the movie theater wearing 3-D glasses and up to our elbows in popcorn and candy. I would say we are such good grandma’s making sure they are entertained, wether it be outdoors or indoors. I think we are having fun, don’t you?
Another reason we are alike. I love butterflies. I should send you some of my pictures. And of course, we are some super grandmas
I love butterflies too! Every year that is one of my favorite units to teach to my students. We order the caterpillars from a great company called Insect Lore, and watch as they eat and eat and then form their chrysalises. This was the first year we were actually in class at the time they emerged. It’s amazing that all five of them came out of their chrysalises within minutes of one another. Then we watched as they flapped their wings to dry them. Did you know when they emerge, they are a grayish color (at least Painted Lady Butterflies are) until they pump color through their wings? They also drip some of the color, which always gets cries of, “The butterflies are bleeding!” It really is an amazing thing to watch the orange color fill out their wings.
Hey Sharon, I did the caterpillar/butterfly from insect lore with the kids at home this past spring. it is so easy and the kids loved it. great discovery for the kids–check it out–i think i got my kit from amazon.
So much fun, and so sweet!
Nell