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Early this summer I had the joy of watching this little chap during his first moments. They weren't dull!

Here he is, a bit crumpled looking as he makes his first climb up a grass stalk.



He is joined by a visitor so obviously not so shabby that an amourous male would be put off.



Casanova tried whispering a few sweet nothings and when his victim didn't fly off (because he couldn't yet!) he zoned in to do the deed.



But he found that try as he might the bits just did not fit with the object of his desire.



Eventually Casanova flew off to try his luck elsewhere.

My little chap kept on getting more butterfly like as his wings pumped up. This was the competition entry. Perhaps it was because he had been disturbed that he kept on moving around and didn't stay head down as he should. Or perhaps it is because no one had told him that was what butterflies were supposed to do. No one told the other butterfly that he was supposed to be looking for a girl after all.



At last, perfect in every way, he is able to fly. And then he did.

Nice story and pictures to match!
N

Thanks Nick.

Yes, great pictures! How lovely to be reminded of summer butterflies in the middle of this cold winter.

Guy

It seems a long way away now.

Never mind. We're almost at the solstice. Sunrises will still get later for a little while yet, but evenings have turned and are already getting lighter.
Nice post, Susie.

12.06pm on Sunday 21 December I believe (the solstice, that is) and I am counting the minutes .....

I'll have my holly, ivy and mistletoe in and made into decorations.

Lovely story Susie, I bet that must have been an amazing thing to have witnessed!

That's interesting to know, I can't wait for the solstice as well!

As far as decorating goes, we haven't got any of the holy and things yet, will do at some point I think. The cat chewed the it last time - don't ask, he took all the chocolates of the tree when we were out as well!
However my brother and I have added something to our tree instead.
We aren't that sad , the story goes that a few Christmas ago, Dad put one of these on the tree to annoy mum when the family came over! Ever since he has been complaining that there isn't one on the tree. So we made him one this year!

Em

lovely tree mouse !!

so now the cat can pick-a-chew

charles

I love little family traditions that start off that way.

We have a train and we fill one of the carriages with sweets and that runs around our Christmas tree.

That's a lovely tradition Susie
And Charles, I think Millie saw it and didn't think much of it, Harry saw it and as always - still doesn't know what to think!!

The brother says we are going for a ' jiggly puff' next year, I am not quite sure what that is, guess I will find out in a years time!
Unfortunatly it was removed before the family came, I was told the look on their faces were priceless. Dad loved it!
I also love little family traditions, make it our own, like I always hang the butterfly decoration on the tree - that's my job. Another is that we never have enough snow or time (I wanna hit the slopes when the snow is still around!), we make a 'snow beetle', basically a lump of snow with legs and couple of eyes! He has to be made before I pull the sledge along with Dave in it to the hill. It normally ends up with me in the river - which has become a tradition too! (either because I go to fast down the hill - always me, or some one puts the sledge in the river)
Em

Bump! Butterfly behaviour for Piers.