Thursday, April 3, 2014

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2007, during Mattie's 5th birthday party. I will never forget that day! We planned Mattie's party at the National Zoo. The Zoo's policy is the party goes on whether it rains or the sun is out. But it wasn't just a light rain, it was torrential rain. Part of the party was inside, but the tour around the zoo was outside! I was sure the kids were going to have a miserable time. But guess what? They had a blast. For them it was an adventure! The zoo was virtually empty of other people, so literally it felt like the zoo was ours for the day and ironically animals like being out and frolicking in the rain.  


Quote of the day: The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of those depths. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Today, Peter and I went to Butterfly World. This is a butterfly farm and research facility that is comprised of 10 acres of aviaries and botanical gardens. It is about 30 minutes from Ft. Lauderdale and it is an attraction we used to take Mattie each time we visited Florida. It is a place that holds many memories for us. In fact when we got to Butterfly World we reflected on the countless number of times we took Mattie to the playground right off of the parking lot. As you approach the entrance to Butterfly World, you are greeted with this sign that I posed by and all this incredibly colorful bougainvillea. But the whole place is a sensory experience not just a visual one, but an auditory one as well. They pipe in music throughout the park. At the entrance you are greeted with this sign, bougainvillea, and Morricone's theme from Cinema Paradiso (the movie). If you don't know what I am referring to, I included a link below for you to listen to this piece of music. It is one of my favorites, and it is a haunting backdrop to the beauty that surrounds you and what you are about to enter into: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VclRS7x0e38. For more information on Butterfly World, go to: http://www.butterflyworld.com/start.html.

This has to be one of the largest collection of butterflies anywhere in the world. It is a large butterfly house, tent, whatever you wish to call it. The habitat inside is simply incredible. You are walking freely inside with hundreds or perhaps thousands of butterflies. It is a surreal and ethereal  experience. It almost makes you feel like you are reconnecting with someone you have lost. For me the butterfly is a very symbolic representation of Mattie, so walking into a large house of butterflies was a glorious feeling of being reconnected on some level with Mattie. Especially knowing that Mattie had visited Butterfly World many times before. I know it is hard to imagine, but picture this space filled with butterflies. The camera really can't capture these fluttering creatures too well, but they were all around us.

Wood Nymphs were all over Peter! Can you see the one that landed on his arm? Several landed on him and sat on him for several minutes. In fact, he was like a butterfly magnet today. Several women were photographing Peter, kids were intrigued and wondering if butterflies liked blue shirts, or whether they just liked Peter! It was the topic of conversation at the park! My friend Mary Ann, simply thinks it was Mattie's way of getting Peter's attention and playing.... catch me if you can!

As you can see Peter was covered in butterflies! It seemed to be a sign! When Mattie came to Butterfly World, he typically would get landed upon. I never did! 

That is until today! Today was my FIRST butterfly landing!!! This butterfly landed right on my Mattie memory bracelet. Coincidence? I don't know! 

Within the butterfly house are all kinds of butterflies. This was an example of an owl butterfly. Has a big eye like an owl! But the butterflies are everywhere. On the trees, vegetation, flowers, walkway, and benches!

Another beauty!

Inside the butterfly house are benches. Memorial benches dedicated to people, with beautiful quotes on them. I decided to sit for a while and watch the butterflies flutter by. It was an amazing sight. They were all around me. Hundreds of them. You can't see them in this photo, but they were everywhere. 

In addition to the butterfly house, there are also incredible aviaries at the park. Filled with the most incredible birds and hummingbirds. Frankly when I went with Mattie, I did not even really remember seeing the aviaries in great detail. Today I went through them and really had a chance to observe many of the birds. What amazing creatures, with such stunning colors and habits. 

Lady Gouldian Finches! Aren't they just stunning!??!!!

This suspension bridge sits right in the middle of the park. It connects the bug house to an aviary. Mattie loved this bridge and he particularly loved crossing it with Peter and jumping up and down on it and watching it sway and rock up and down. Maybe because he knew the motion made me queasy. Either case in Mattie's memory I snapped a photo of Peter in the middle of the bridge today! Where he would normally be with Mattie.

In honor of Mattie, I posted a photo of cockroaches. In the bug house, are indeed these horrid creatures. Peter went in today and snapped this photo. I did not even go in. I don't even like the smell of the house. To me the house has a bad smell! 

From roaches to orchids! There is something for everyone at Butterfly World. It is a remarkable park and worth visiting. I am so happy we went there today. It is a place I could literally spend an entire day just sitting and watching the butterflies, listening to the music, and reflecting upon the natural beauty that surrounds me and how it makes me feel connected to Mattie. But unfortunately that peace and tranquility doesn't last outside of the park. It is short lived and I would have to say our five day trip has been a challenging one emotionally.