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A Joyful Noise

nectar

Lessons from a Swallowtail

July 3, 2019 by Melodye Shore
Swallowtail

This Swallowtail visited my garden, earlier this week. It perched itself on a nearby Pentas Nova, oblivious to the camera slung around my neck and the pruning shears I carried.

It lingered for a long while, basking in the sunlight and sipping nectar.

I snapped a quick photo and then observed quietly from a distance.

I was mesmerized by the slow, steady rhythm of its beating wings and the seemingly infinite patience it demonstrated as it unfurled its proboscis and drew it up again, probing for food in one flower and then another. A metronome of the natural world, its tempo was unaffected by the take-offs and landings at the bird bath adjacent, fluttering palm fronds, and the swirl of activity at the goldfinch feeder.

And in those singular moments, I was a student again, learning life lessons in nature’s classroom.

Posted in: backyard, be still, Butterflies, flowers, garden, gardening, meditation, Nature, nectar, Swallowtail Butterfly, writing Tagged: flower, meditation, Pentas Nova, Swallowtail

Lessons from a Painted Lady

March 5, 2019 by Melodye Shore

I spied this Painted Lady on my walk last week, hovering above the sea lavender at Laguna Beach.

I slowed my pace, lifted my camera.

She  flitted from flower to flower, dipping her proboscis into the purple blossoms, sipping nectar.

I could’ve circled back later, once my exercise routine was over. But ohhhh, those gossamer threads along her wings and back…!

She seemed totally unaware of my presence. I, however, was wholly engrossed in the slant of her antennae, her perfectly balanced wings and feet. Part physics, pure magic.

When she eventually flitted away, I stashed my camera and resumed my walk.

Mind you: I had a parking meter to feed, errands to run, writing projects in the queue, and…well. Unscheduled activities have their tradeoffs. And still: You can’t perform a cost-benefit analysis in moments like this one! Because even when we fall out of our target heart rate zones, even when our to-do lists are longer than the hours in a day, some things invite (and deserve) our full attention.

Posted in: Butterflies, Laguna Beach, Mindful, mindfulness, Nature, nectar, Painted Lady, Sea Lavender, writing Tagged: butterfly, laguna beach, mindfulness, Painted Lady, sea lavender

Western Swallowtail in my backyard (aka Nature’s Classroom)

August 7, 2017 by Melodye Shore

Tattered wings and faded beauty. No worries–it happens to everyone, eventually.

Swallowtail shows us how it’s done:  Bask in the warmth of the afternoon sun, drinking sweet nectar to your heart’s content and floating above it all.

Posted in: backyard, Butterflies, Nature, nectar, Western Swallowtail Tagged: Backyard, butterfly, mother nature, nature, Pentas Nova, Western Swallowtail

Fresh magic, offered daily

July 18, 2017 by Melodye Shore

A new day begins, and Mother Nature is once again waving her magic wand.

The stained-glass wings were immediately recognizable,  but it took some sleuthing to identify the powder puff plant. (Nancy Drew’s my alter ego–you knew that, right?)

That sweet little tree is a Calliandra Surinaemensis. Notable for its profusion of pink and white puff balls, it’s also a prolific nectar source. A royal feast for a Monarch butterfly, here and gone in the blink of an eye.

In this moment, a generous sprinkling of magic…and yet another reminder to keep my eyes and heart wide open.

Posted in: Butterflies, calliandra surinaemensis, magic, monarch butterfly, nectar, Powder Puff Tree Tagged: calliandra surinaemensis, magic, monarch butterfly, nectar, powder puff tree

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