A Visit With Lady Monarch

A beautiful lady monarch butterfly graced me with a visit on this day. I was in the gardens, and she arrived when the sunshine did. She drank from every flower she could find, moving her long proboscis in and out of each purple bloom. Fully intent on her tasty treats, she was nearly oblivious to everything else around her.

I stood quietly nearby, smiling like a goofball. Which is how I get when butterflies are around. Overcoming my initial awe, I very slowly sidled toward her until I could have reached out and touched her. It seems unbelievable, but this shot was taken using the macro setting, from about six inches away. It represents one of the best views I've ever had of a perfectly formed, excellently turned out, totally mellow, female monarch butterfly.

We spent about eight minutes together, and during it, time almost seemed suspended. It felt like meditation, or maybe like a prayer. Her, drinking, occasionally fluttering to a new flower. Me, watching, taking photos, practically breathless. And finally, the lady lifted her wings and took to the sky, where she fluttered for a minute before she left, looking down at me. "Thank you," I whispered, "Thank you . . . " and I left the gardens with a smile.

The song: Madonna, Like a Prayer.