I was hanging around out front waiting for Mr. Cardui to finish whatever he was up to so we could leave on our every three months whether we need it or not jaunt. It was a warm sunny late morning; way too late already for taking the 5 north, but a perfect time for butterflies.
As I was standing by the mailbox contemplating the contrast between the firesticks and the coppery-purple osteospermum flowers otherwise known as my navel, a West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella) landed on the warm sidewalk just a yard or so from my feet. The camera was nearby in the car (did I mention I was ready to leave?) so I grabbed it and attempted to capture the Lady nectaring.
Skittish but hungry, the butterfly flew off when I got too near but kept returning to the same group of flowers.
I was rewarded in the end when it landed on the sidewalk behind me; I twisted around without moving my feet to get some photos.
And then, we left the butterfly to my garden full of nectar and the sidewalk full of heat; I was wondering as we hit the 22 whether we would see migration flights of V. annabella's close relative V. cardui along our route to rest and relaxation.
As it turned out, our get-away destination was still waiting for spring, dry from a long mostly rainless winter and without flowers for the most part and butterflies. Still, beautiful.
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