Tags
Butterflies, chrysalis, cycles of life, metamorphosis, southern nostalgia, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge beginning
Hello World! Chrysallis
In contrast to the previous post, Hello Cruel World, this one features the carefree awakenings of butterflies. The above emerging butterfly is one of many showcased at the Mindo (Ecuador) Butterfly Gardens, where one steps into a magical world of colorful butterflies and equally-colorful flowers.
Witnessing the chrysalis of butterflies awakens a childlike wonder, and I recall a private showing several years ago on the deck of my home! Even though the drab-colored caterpillars stripped the foliage of the passion fruit vines, they later rewarded me with with an unforgettable beginning to my morning!
The orange hues dripped from their wings!
That’s a beautiful way to start a day!
The river presents many beginnings to witness throughout the year, and the recent first rains of the season triggered a subtle change in my feathered neighbors’ patterns.
Back for its annual migratory vacation, the osprey announced its return on the first day of this new year! Its lone melancholy call touched my heart, and I smiled and silently answered, ‘Welcome back.’ Joining the serenade for three mornings in a row, a tropical mockingbird all but tricks me into believing that I’m awakening in the springtime of my youth in the Mississippi Delta. (Only a Southerner at heart could be so chatty at the first light of a new day!)
2014 – A new year on the river!
Today I noted the magnificent frigates claiming new perches straight across from the house. Their white heads looked like puppets balanced upon the dense green mangrove foliage, while their friends the pelicans peered from slightly-higher elevations! As if they were spectators awaiting a show, I wondered just what inside information they might have that I lacked!
Coming home to roost…
The rainy season has arrived, and the arid landscape is about to change into a polar opposite as different as the cocoon is to the butterfly, yet equally important to the cycles and rhythms of life. Soon this lazy last bend will transform into a turbulent voracious tree-eating river. The birds, butterflies and I will claim our seats and prepare for the show to begin.
To all of you in North America, I’ll be watching via internet as you brace for the approaching winter storm. Stock up, stay warm and be careful! Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Those wings … and that final shot, Liza – she’s a dancer, dancing. Superb shot – mesmerising beginning 🙂
Beautiful butterflies and birds and beginnings.
Liza what a beautiful series of shots!Thanks for sharing…
Amazing photos, Lisa. 🙂
Beautiful butterflies and birds Z, a great way fro me to start the day reading your lovely post, thanks 🙂
very cool!! especially the chrysallis photos. one thing we almost always do at the MN state fair is visit the butterfly “tent” (it used to be a tent, it’s now a building) and there’s a combination of beautiful butterflies as well as chrysallis. but I’ve never hung around long enough to see a butterfly emerge from its cocoon. thanks for sharing!!
Amazing process. The large toads that hibernate in the hollow bamboo are getting quite anxious waiting for the rains to begin. I heard a rattle of the dog’s water dish on the patio last night and peeked out the door. Lo and behold one of the large beauties was soaking in the water. Sort of looked like his own personal “hot tub” but as we well know the hot tubs here in EC are “cold tubs”. He was quite camera shy and I was not able to get a shot of him. I’ll be better prepared tonight for his return. Mary
yes, the frogs are searching for water. the little slim ‘sticky toed’ frogs come into the bathroom or hide in a vase of flowers – whatever they can find to stay hydrated! at night they jump around the house in search of insects!
we’re getting a light mist right now, but it wll probably burn off in half an hour. the tides have been high and strong. before daylight, the waves were rolling thru the mouth and up the river and onto the rocks by the house! gentle, but there.. if they did that here, i suspect that el matal was hit again…
Gorgeous
I cannot imagine the pure joy in watching a butterfly emerge from its snug little cocoon! 🙂
How refreshingly beautiful – soft and delicate as they grace our world. Love the post Z.
They are so delicate, butterflies. And just beginners in the world – even more so. Wonderful post! Made my grey day much brighter!
we’ll have to keep sending bright happy butterflies and flowers to you to brighten those grey days!
Z, these are excellent. I feel like I just watched a National Geographic episode. Well done. BTG
thank you! i felt as if i were watching it as well! it was a great morning!
i love butterflies! Thanks for sharing!
Mindo memories. 🙂
What a stunning and fascinating series Lisa!! Can’t think of a better depiction of beginning! Thank you for sharing your wonder and joy with us.
Wishing you a very happy New Year!
Those are beautiful pictures. Happy New Year.
I’ve never seen a butterfly emerge from its cocoon in real life – only on tv. Hooray for National Geographic! Your photos are splendid – such treats you have around you.
On another topic entirely, I thought you might enjoy seeing this post from Panama, with the photos of the New Year’s effigies there. It’s not just in Ecuador! I was so surprised.
thanks for the link; he has some great photos as well as a very interesting blog.
thanks for your thumbs up on the butterfly images as well. that was a sweet morning – to do nothing except witness the transformations!
Wow, that is totally awesome, Z!
Sorry to have been absent since Christmas. Sara and I had guests from the US and then did some traveling around our new country–sometimes without internet. Trying now to get back into the swing of things. We drove to Quito from Cuenca and did the volcanoes. AMAZING!
Hugs from Cuenca,
Kathy
yes; isn’t that drive beautiful? it’s so hard when comone visits to show them as much of the country as possible! we jusually fly to save time, but wow, then they don’t get to see chimborazo, cotopaxi, the pastoral landscape and those amazing andean indian icons in real color! i should be able to find my way to cuenca this year and look forward to seeing you and sarah in person!
These are spectacular images Z. and inspirations no doubt fro your wonderful artistic mind. I hope that you have much joy, happiness , good health and continued success in the the coming year. Regards, james
thank you! sometimes the most memorable events happen in our own backyards, though my backyard happens to be a river!!!
how’s the weather? i think the entire northern hemisphere is in a deep freeze!
z
At the moment mother nature is throw all she has got at us at the moment, strong winds, rain , snow and today the sun has finally got its hat on . A glorious crisp day. Hope you are well Z. and that the New year has got off to a great start for you.
Oh, To rejoice in the sun after nasty weather has hammered us for a long spell! i”m glad tht the sun is smiling on you!
No storm where I am, thankfully. Such beautiful photos of the butterflies – don’t you love how fresh they look when they’re first out? And it’s always interesting to hear about your seasons and the details of the bird life – thanks!
i’m glad you have good weather. we’re getting light showers – very appreciated,as we’re emerging from the 6-month dry season of almost zero rain…
yes, the newness of the butterflies is amazing as they slowly come to life!
A magical selection of superb images. Exciting!
Thanks! Butterflies are such delicate and colorful little creatures, and to see them when they first awaken is quite a gift!
All wonderful photos – but that last one is absolutely incredible!