Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) | 105mm, f/8.0, 1/125 sec, ISO 200
Sometimes, I fret over the fact that I keep having to find things to take photos of in the ordinary commute between work and home, work and home. Unfortunately, I haven’t done much traveling lately, so my photos are often of the mundane things I see during this daily routine. Yet, I really believe there’s something interesting all around us, if we just stop to look for it.
Yesterday, as I was leaving for lunch, I saw this butterfly flitting among the flowers in the planters outside the office. It was barely landing before it would fly off again. Butterflies flying have always cracked me up. They’re some of the prettiest creatures on earth, but they fly like a teenager trying to drive a stick shift for the first time… so herky, jerky and clumsy.
I stood there waiting to see if it would land near me, and sure enough, it lit for about three seconds on one of the flowers, and I was able to take this pic.
When I downloaded this, I was amazed at the color of the flowers and the detail of the butterfly and the leaves. The only thing I’ve done to it is sharpen it slightly, the rest is original. It looks even better when enlarged.
Suddenly, an ordinary moment reminds me again of the wonder of this world we get to live in. It brought to mind some lyrics from a Dan Fogelberg song I like… Magic Every Moment:
There’s so much we take for granted
There’s so much we never say — we get caught
up in the motion of just living day to day
We are fettered to the future, we are prisoners of the past
And we never seem to notice ’til our lives
have finally slipped right through our graspYou can see forever in a single drop of dew
You can see that same forever if you look
down deep inside of you
There’s a spark of the creator in every living thing
He respects me when I work but he so loves me when I singThere’s magic every moment
There’s miracles each day
There’s magic every moment
Oh won’t you let the music play?
Oh won’t you let the music play?
Through a Glass, Darkly 
Did you know that butterflies are the most territorial creatures on earth?
What looks like pretty flitting about is really chasing away other butterflies who are coming into their space.
Watch. It’s interesting.
I did not know that! It’s good to learn something new. :)
Cheryl,
Butterflies are not mundane! Like you, I am constantly amazed by nature and what at first glance, seems ordinary. I am glad to know that there are other folks that see the “magic” and wonder of the Earth. And, I am sure, that you realize that what we don’t see with our eyes is just as magical and beautiful. Just because we can’t see it , doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
Absolutely, Lee Ann. I’ve never “seen” love, but I know it exists in my family and friends. Doesn’t get much more wonderful than that! :)