Butterfly

This picture amazes me, but I've yet to figure out exactly what it is that captivates me so much about it. I'm known for not liking anything with butterflies on it. I really don't think twice when I see people with purses, t-shirts or duvet covers with butterflies on them, but for some reason I just don't like them for myself.

In real life, though, I'm drawn to them. There is just something breathtaking about the beauty of such a small creature.

While at the Renaissance Festival we came a across this beautiful Monarch that at first we naturally thought was hurt since it was on the ground barely moving. We moved toward it realizing we might get a picture of it, and it still didn't move. It sat as if it knew we wanted to try and capture what we so often get to marvel at by watching them fly by, but rarely get to see in still form.

As soon as we got two or three pictures, it flew off as if nothing had happened.

I've put the picture up as my desktop background, and still ask why I like it so much. Is it the contrast of the vibrant orange and black of the Monarch against the tan rocky path? Maybe it is how although the size of the butterfly is shown as it lies in a large path, the shadow creates an illusion that portrays a much stronger, powerful butterfly than the pulled back wing reality?

I don't want to go much deeper than that, as in the moment I really was just taking a picture of a butterfly that had stopped on the ground. Isn't it incredible, though, how a picture really is worth a thousand words.