A Kaleidscope called Butterflies

I came to a screaming halt during a recent power walk when there before me were hundreds of beautiful butterflies. They were fluttering about haphazardly among the white bottlebrush shrubs bordering the footpath opposite the now empty café strip of Scarborough.

Mesmerising to watch, these hyperactive butterfly lovelies took my mind off the agony of prolonged home detention during the COVID-19 isolation phase.

Did you know a group of butterflies are called a flutter, wing, swarm, rabble, but are officially called a kaleidoscope?  If you didn't that makes you and me both - I was happy to have learned something that day.

Butterflies symbolise inner transformation, change, resurrection, joy, endless potential, happiness, and hope. Tis the season for butterflies but I've never seen so many and not the only one who noticed. Maybe it's because of good rainfall out west - who knows. To me, the COVID-19 event is a pivotal time in history and the butterflies cement this transformational time for me. It's the ending of life as we knew it and the beginning of endless potential.

With restrictions still some time away and work contracts a thing of the past, I make the most of my solitary confinement by walking along the beachfront. I watch Old Sol rise over the horizon and walk on cold sand (wonderful exfoliation for the feet) mainly to get away from the footpath where its a peak hour of joggers and people walking their dogs.

With single-minded focus, I power walked the 5kms to visit butterflies (the links below will take you to, two short YouTube clips).

Butterfly Magic

Butterflies


Sadly no coffee shops were open for a flat white with soy to be had, so I powered back up and walked home.

The exercise was great, the butterflies better.

Until next time, cheers 🦋

There's Gold in that Feedback

 Scrolling through Instagram recently, I found myself comparing my images against those shared by more experienced photographers.

 I know, I know, I shouldn't compare my photos against theirs, but I did.

 Several weeks ago a kind and generous photographer friend said next time I should use a tripod and lower the shutter speed to improve image quality, while another said, "keep those horizons straight!"
 
 As you can see from the image below, a tripod would have helped keep the horizon straight and saved this photo from having to be cropped.

I could say I was following Earth's orbit ...