Thursday, September 18, 2008

Butterflies....

About a month ago I was privileged enough to make my way, (via this train), to Kuranda, near Cairns, Far North Queensland.

I went to this butterfly sanctuary:

http://www.australianbutterflies.com/

I had dearly hoped to get some pictures of this, the Ulysses butterfly, but they are tricky little things to photo...they fly around quite a lot, nervous and agile, then, when they do land, the underside of their wings isn't the beautiful blue at all....there is an art and touch of luck to the photo of the elusive Ulysses....oh well...

To get to the rainforest you can either rail or skyrail..I went up rail and skyrailed back.

"But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:
And now from having ridden out desire
They lie closed over in the wind and cling
Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire."
~Robert Frost, "Blue-Butterfly Day"


"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine."
~Jeffrey Glassberg



"With the rose the butterfly's deep in love,
A thousand times hovering round;
But round himself, all tender like gold,
The sun's sweet ray is hovering found."
~Heinrich Heine, "New Spring"


"I've watched you now a full half-hour;
Self-poised upon that yellow flower
And, little Butterfly!
Indeed I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! - not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!"
~William Wordsworth, "To a Butterfly"


"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."
~Maya Angelou







8 comments:

meno said...

Butterflies and poetry go together quite naturally.

Great pictures of the elusive little flits.

Ponita in Real Life said...

Wonderful photos, Pam, as usual. Butterflies are such seemingly aimless fliers and yet, if you watch long enough, they actually get from point a to point b with unfailing accuracy. Just never in a straight line.

Carver said...

I love the shots of the butterflies and also the poetry you interspersed with them. The train shot is also great. What wonderful images you are sharing.

Janice Thomson said...

Such delicate and beautiful treasures these butterflies. Love that last quote by Maya Angelou - how very true. I always enjoy coming here Pam - your country is diverse - it's a treat to see these things through your eyes.

jmb said...

These are fabulous photos Pam of truly brilliant creations of nature.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly."

~Richard Bach

I am beyond words. I love butterflies and have never forgotten some intensely blue butterflies I saw at Monte Cattini near Firenze, Italy long ago.

Is the Ulysses called that because it travels over great distances?

Barbara Martin said...

I never knew there were butterfly sanctuaries! WOW! And such great photos of the wee things.

Unknown said...

Wow! AWESOME pics.....I love Butterflies verymuch....
nice shots....
also the poetry is also nice....