Just miles from picturesque Lake Oconee, where the successful enjoy their comfortable second homes, this man is in the Butterflies & Blooms Briar Patch Habitat, in sweet Eatonton, Georgia. He’s there to find and photograph butterflies, especially butterflies native to the southeastern United States. It’s about 10:10 A.M. and those tiny Swallowtail caterpillars are his instant targets.
His film camera is this Canon Elan 7e with a Cannon Macro- 100mm/2.8 lens. The hat boosts Archangel Ancient Tree Archive. The headband, now having travelled more than 28,000 miles is from Dicks. The green shirt is worn to reduce the perceived threat as I approach butterflies, and from LL Bean. The jeans from Wrangler. The boots from Merrell (they did just great! in ’15 and ’16 on Israel’s uber-rocky terrain). The wool socks from . . . Goldtoe ( and a connection to . . .). Now, the enthusiasm? That’s from just being able to do this, having survived all of those precarious parts of my life, the sheer joy of meeting exquisite beauty, the real desire to be an esthete and a great appreciation for the Almighty, for allowing me to experience all of the above.
There are very few places in the 50 states of the United States that have this potential. What potential? I have seen 29 different species of butterfly at this Habitat in 2017, in a single morning. Virginia’s regulars and irregulars have pushed, pulled & planted a butterfly destination unlike almost any other . . . in America, right here in Eatonton. I’m trying to remember who to credit this photo to. I think to that very same Virginia C Linch.
Jeff
Winged Beauty Butterflies 
will admit to taking this photo of you, Jeff…will not say that i am tired of photographing our winged beauties in the habitat, but also enjoy the faces of absolute joy who two legged folks who visit, the determined focus of others cameras who are in such a hurry to snap a photo when they see a butterfly drifting in the breeze or darting from bloom to bloom, it takes them a while to understand that there is no hurry at all. these wonderful critters can be seen and celebrated from daylight to dusk, most every clear day in the habitat.
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That same “29”probably also registers the number of place in the continental U.S. that can boast the ability to see them “from daylight to dusk, most every clear day in the habitat.” Thanks, much.
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Seriously??? 29 in one day? Which day was this — up the road in Athens, we’ve just been having cold, blustery weather and I’ve seen exactly two species this year, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and Spring Azures. Let me know when you’re coming back to the Briar Patch, maybe we can meet.
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It was a day in late August 2016. I look forward to much time in the Briar Patch this year, and back last year visited your Georgia Botanical Gardens 2X. Sure, let’s agree to meet. Virginia has been suggesting that for some time now, Chuck.
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I like you post today – so down to earth 🌏
One day maybe I’ll make it back there to see this beautiful butterfly garden.
Have a great week!
Rox
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