Friends post their awestruck visits to butterfly enclosures, and I love seeing those winged beauties flying around, in spectacular butterfly exhibits in Pittsburgh, Scottsdale, Florida and more. I thankfully remember surrounding myself in new, extraordinary butterflies, wild and free butterflies, in the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas. Less than 3 miles from Mexico, near the border wall.

This Malachite (Siproeta stelenes) remained along that lightly treed trail for more than 1/2 an hour. Glassberg, in his A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of North America describes Malachites as “U” (Uncommon) in South Texas all year. Imagine how excited I was to be able to approach this gem, at times some 6 feet away?

Memories that you never forget? Oh My Goodness! This was such. I’ve been to pre-sale Exhibitions of Magnificent Jewelry at Christiie’s and at Sotheby’s auction houses in New York City. The Malachite? No contest, it real, alive and one example of G-d’s finest work.

Jeff