A summer ritual

Each year I spend at least one July afternoon trying to take a good shot of a swallowtail butterfly .... this is the best of this year's effort. It wouldn't keep still, flitting from one lavender flower to another, and it was impossible to catch its wings still, but I liked this one because the markings are clear and it's eye is in focus.

Looking back, I see that I blipped last year's swallowtail on 4 July too.