Butterflies!

Today we went to the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. They were having a special program called "Butterflies in the Garden". They have a huge conservatory there filled with all kinds of tropical plants and flowers and trees, and in March, they release literally thousands of tropical butterflies into the conservatory. You can go in and wander around and look at all the beautiful butterflies - it's really spectacular.

There was one species of butterfly there, called a Blue Morpho, that everyone was trying to get a picture of. When its wings are closed, it's just a dull brown, but when it opens its wings, it's a beautiful shade of iridescent blue. The Blue Morphos were just flitting around, never landing long enough for anyone to get a good photo (and there were people there with cameras that put mine to shame). Finally, just as my sister and I were getting ready to leave, one landed right in front of me and opened those blue, blue wings. I managed to get several photos, and just as other people with their fancy cameras were coming up and getting their gear ready, it closed its wings again. Heh.

We had a buffet brunch at the restaurant there, which was very good. (I highly recommend the chocolate cake.) I swear, I've eaten more meals "out" in the last few days than I had in the previous twelve months combined. Yum!

Tonight there are supposed to be quite bad storms here. Otherwise, the weather has been just beautiful the entire weekend. Tomorrow, it's back to the Frozen North for me. Blech. But, I think these few days with my sister have really helped improve my mindset (she is such a good listener/advisor/friend!), and hopefully the memory of this warm weather will carry me through until spring up North.