Thursday, August 21, 2008

Tropical Storm Fay

I shot this photo of a monarch butterfly last weekend -- about the same time that we first started tracking tropical storm Fay's course up the Florida peninsula. I wonder where this natural artistic creation is riding out the storm that we now have upon us. Here in south Jacksonville the heavy rains started yesterday, but the winds didn't hit us until about 2:00 this afternoon. We have sustained winds over 30 miles per hour now and gusts to near 60. Many of the taller plants in the garden in which I took the photo are now flattened. We have a few limbs down in the yard and quite a bit of small tree "trash" as nature makes her way through and tidies her world up a bit. Another reminder to the swarm of humanity that decided that coastal Florida would be a great place to build -- you can't ultimately contain the environment -- the environment will always contain you... and butterflies.

2 comments:

Tim said...

Outstanding photo & post. Observing a storm is a great way to really see first hand nature's power. She's beautiful & fierce. Hope you have dried out and I know all of the great plants will grow back and the butterflies return.

I am a lover of children's literature said...

This is an astounding photo - the best Monarch Butterfly photo I have seen in ages!

Keep up the great work!