Running With Butterflies

Riding on the trail.   

Dodging the Butterflies!

 The last few days, while running on the Kewash trail,  we have noticed an increase in the butterflies.  There are usually lots of butters flying around,  but now and then it will hit a peak and things will seem like you are in one of those butterfly gardens.   It is really a very cool time to be out there.   People pay money to be surrounded by exotic butterflies in some natural garden enclosure, but they could simply step outside and find a huge cloud of butterflies for FREE... If they simply look for them. 

Pretty Flower!  The Butterflies love it.

Tiger Swallow tail. 

It probably helps if you have flowers or a "butterfly garden" filled with bright colorful plants for the butters to eat.   Even on the our tomato plants,  I have been getting frequent Monarchs, Red-spotted Purples, Tiger's, Sulfurs, and Red Admirables.   But finding several of them at a single time is quite the sight.

Lots of Tigers clustered together. 

And they are friendly!  Camped out
next to my bike! 

I remember back in my youth, we used to chase Tiger Swallowtails around all over the neighborhood.   We were armed with one of those 5 and 10 butterfly nets that were worth "every Penny!"   And about as useless as a wet paper bag!  The Tigers would fly high and never return...  catching one was usually left to "finding a dead one" on the road or trail.

But here they are!  Flying around us and "just hanging out" as I snap dozens of pictures. 

Tiger Swallow tails hanging out on the Bee Balm. 

That is more than the Question Marks and Commas.  They never hold still long enough for my camera to focus.   Also,  the Blues!  The trail is covered with SWARMS of Karner Blues, but they are too small to capture with the camera as well.  It is pretty cool to be riding your bike and have cloud of blue explode around your bike.

Like this!  If I could ever capture my Own photo.....

The Sulfurs are similar... only a huge cloud of yellow!   They gather in huge clusters of 30-50 butterflies. 

This is how it looks with my camera capturing only a fraction of the butterflies. 

This morning, I tried to capture the effects while Cheryl was running.  Several of the rapid shots only capture a small glimpse of the butters as they fly all around.  I see the quality of the pictures also tent to suffer as I am moving along and snapping shots. 

This is how I remember it!

But with the help of one of my programs,  I was able to "enhance" things a little bit. 

The weather is unseasonably cool here in Iowa.  We are loving it!   I will take 72 degrees over 103 any day!   It also makes for easier running conditions for Cheryl.

  Oh!  And before I forget... Subie had a flat tire today.   A BLOW OUT!  Which was kind of exciting.   Luckily I had a couple of spares in the shed and Reggie put them on within 15 minutes of me driving up.   There are moments when being in a small town has its advantages!

Cheryl Runs in the nice weather. 

For later Blog Post....

Purple Tomatoes?   Is that normal? 

Other than that, Cheryl continues to make soap,  I continue to pretend I know how to garden. ( My Tomatoes are turning PURPLE!) , and the cat continues to sleep  on the couch.  in other words... not much is happening.   I guess that is a good thing.  I have been trying to fix my bike over the last two weeks, but that story may require its own blog post... AFTER I finally fix it!   I shall keep you posted.    Thanks for stopping in.