Butterflies are free...or should be.

  Once again, I was stuck inside doing chores when my brain was saying to go out and breathe the fresh air!  At least I was able to throw open all of the windows and peer outside occasionally.  The sound of the birds singing and the sight of leaves blowing in the gentle breeze brought me some solace.  Through those windows, I did notice a ton of huge butterflies flitting about the garden.  It seems that the petunias, zinnias and butterfly weed interspersed with the tomatoes and bell peppers are a favorite stopping point for the insects.  Their brilliant colors added beauty to the garden.  Most were swallowtail butterflies of one sort or another. Their presence did make me feel a bit more trapped, though, as I could not be in the garden with them.  Their freedom to fly in and out made me want to do the same.

  Late this afternoon, I took Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, out for a walk.  She, too, has been feeling a bit of cabin-fever since I have taken on the job of reorganizing the craft room.  She has decided that she would rather be stuck inside with me than be outside by herself.  (She knows who throws that ball to her!)  Our hike took us through the garden and out the back gate.  I figured while I was traipsing about the tomato patch, I should check for any that were ripe.  A huge butterfly flitted right past my head and visited the butterfly weed.  It made me smile to think of how it was enjoying something that I had planted.  

  I was just about to leave the garden when a fluttering caught my attention.  Weeks ago, Michael and I put the netting across the tomato plants to keep the woodpeckers from eating any that were ripening.  I never thought of the danger this could be to any critter friends.  The net was touted to be "Environmentally and Animal Friendly!"  It is not. Caught up in the net was a gorgeous Swallowtail.  Poor thing!  It fluttered against the net for all it was worth but could not escape.  Well now, that would never do!  Even to the point of breaking a few of the plant's limbs, I pulled back the netting to allow the butterfly to escape.  Yep, butterflies should be free....and now this one is!  So folks, please take note if you use the bird netting.  Sometimes it can cause harm.  Go outside occasionally to check the netting.  Make sure that some hapless critter has not been caught up in the webbing.  Just last week, Michael rescued a gorgeous blue dragonfly and now the swallowtail had the misfortune of becoming snared.  Rescue those pretties, my friends!