Butterfly Wings and Fairy Rings
After performing at the RiverSong Music Festival in Hutchinson, MN I was heading home. Traveling east on interstate 94, listening to a radio interview with James Lovelock (the scientist credited with popularizing the perspective of Earth as Gaia - a living organism who we are a part of) in a five part series on NPR "What is Life?." I'm thinking, Life is an energetic cycle of becoming that also includes death and then....SPLAT! A swallowtail on my wind sheild.
You may know that my yard has been transformed into a butterfly sanctuary amidst mono-cropped sod lawns. All my efforts to assist in the perpetuation of a few small organisms seem hardly enough to compensate for the instant destruction of them that occurs constantly along the highways. Needless to say, I felt like a horrible murderer in that moment. I slowed way down, pulled over and carefully lifted the injured butterfly from the wiper blades and held it in may lap until I arrived in Eau Claire. Blessing it the entire way and listening to the radio program...What is Life?
You may know that my yard has been transformed into a butterfly sanctuary amidst mono-cropped sod lawns. All my efforts to assist in the perpetuation of a few small organisms seem hardly enough to compensate for the instant destruction of them that occurs constantly along the highways. Needless to say, I felt like a horrible murderer in that moment. I slowed way down, pulled over and carefully lifted the injured butterfly from the wiper blades and held it in may lap until I arrived in Eau Claire. Blessing it the entire way and listening to the radio program...What is Life?
The butterfly's abdomen had been smashed, oozing yellow goo; it's right wing slightly damaged. It convulsed and twitched and then lay still for awhile, I was almost certain it was dying.
By the time I arrived in Eau Claire, the swallowtail had turned itself over and gingerly crawled up onto my shirt where it clung like a brooch.
I carried it to a tigerlily and began unloading the van. When I returned to check on the swallowtail, it was gone! I have seen it flying around the garden the past several days, identifiable by it's damaged right wing. Imagine a gaping wound in your belly, seemingly bleeding to death. Imagine having enough magical powers of regeneration to heal that wound in an hour! Small and delicate they may be, yet the miracle and mystery of the butterfly is enormous.
Our next magical, musical adventure brought us to the World of Faeries in South Elgin, Illinois. I created a bubble of butterfly radar around the van so there were no casualties along our route.
These folks make Goblin Dolls. Unique, hand sewn, hand dyed, one of a kind! Check them out at http://www.goblinroad.com/dolls.html
Living Statue in mega hot and humid weather!
Rockin it with Patchouli! Check them out here: http://www.patchouli.net/
A human ambassador of the Faerie Folk, Joshua Safford aka Jeremiah Wiggins. Check him out here: http://www.ravenstory.com/
The festival came to an abrupt close in a rainstorm, followed by a beautiful rainbow and faeire ring sunset in farm land. Winged, magical creatures abound! Caution, Magic Mama swerves to save them.
