Butterfly Landing

"Happiness is a butterfly which, when pursued is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

 

...and that is exactly what happened.

 La Encantada's Mildred & Dildred toyshop hosted a charming butterfly release two weekends ago. My two nieces and two nephews joined my mom and me to witness the butterflies trying out their fresh new wings. My sister's kids have had the experience of raising their own butterflies at home before but I think most would agree that butterflies never seem to get boring. The excitement was in the air and every child (at heart) wanted a butterfly to walk on their finger.

Megan sat patiently with Nathan as he tried so desperately to lure a butterfly to him with a flower. 

 

One the butterflies were released, all of the kids in the outdoor mall flocked to get up close and personal with the elegant colorful creatures.

After a hour-long detour of a pennies-in-fountain adventure and an ice cream treat, additional "happiness" in the form of a butterfly fluttered our way and found the perfect perching place on Nathan. The joyful feeling was definitely mutual.

 Nathan was thrilled and it became apparent that he realized he might possibly keep this butterfly when he took off at a hasty pace it seemed to get the butterfly home. It was difficult to stay ahead of him to get some pictures. He was so sweet and careful not to hurt the fragile butterfly.

"Many butterflies can taste with their feet to find out whether the leaf [or kid] they sit on is good to lay eggs on to be their caterpillars' food or not" (http://www.thebutterflysite.com/facts.shtml). He must have tasted delicious! Who would have thought a little boy of sweat, dirt, and ice cream would be so alluring to a butterfly?

The butterfly did a lot of tasting amongst a family of hands! Justin was very curious, but when the butterfly crawled on to his hand, he quickly shook it off, but she was sweetly rescued by Sarah.

Lovely Sarah and the butterfly.

 Time to bid farewell to the orange-white-and-black insect that delighted us and the entire afternoon.

Happily,
Dawn