On Friday I visited a lovely new-to-me Nature Preserve. North Park Village Nature Center is a remnant of a former Tuberculosis clinic in Chicago. The wooded, 46-acre nature preserve holds various types of landscapes. The easy-to-follow looped trails offer an overview of Savanna, Woodlands, Wetland, Prairie and Edge Forest. Open from 10 am to 4 […]
When my friend came over in April to her me hang my hallway art, it sparked a bit of a spring cleaning. Invariably, when my butterfly wall was completed the first time, I started getting more butterfly art. Some pieces gathered dust for two years. Then I received Lauren Levato Coyne’s gorgeous “watermelon butterfly” for […]
In late 2012 I took a butterfly pinning class at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Thanks to my drawing workshops I learned to de-sensitize to the morbidity of handling dead butterflies and appreciate the preservation of these lovely creatures. With the ambition to raise my own I decided it would be good to know how […]
So my hopes of raising a second generation of Buckeye caterpillars were dashed when all my butterflies turned out to be ladies. Nonetheless, the transformation has been fun to observe in this dreary winter. The caterpillars one by one made their way to a spot in the enclosure and spun their sticky silk, After 16 […]
I have a personal mission. In April I participated in Coffee, Cameras and Chrysalides at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and as I perused the showcase of local butterflies, I noted the ones I want to see in person. The Buckeye and Red Admiral crossed my path last year, but this year I added these […]
“Just living is not enough, said the butterfly. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” ~ Hans Christian Andersen By now you know I am fascinated by butterflies. Their magical lifecycle and the transformation they symbolize have mesmerized people for ages. I can’t help but hold my breath when one flutters by me, […]
If you’ve perused my creations and seen my photographs, you know I have an affinity for butterflies. During my Custer Street Fair visit I was given a free pass to the Nature Museum for helping out with a survey. Coming up on its expiration day, I finally made the short trip on Monday. I love the […]
