Winter Solstice

Today on the winter solstice we had an unusual visitor
in our home.

(you can see her at the top of the photo in the center)
So unexpected for we live in Maine.

Here is a closer look...

Happy Winter Solstice and the return of more light.

PS.
A second after I posted the above butterfly around 3 o'clock
this afternoon, the power went off!
We had been in the midst of a dramatic rain and wind storm today
and
the power went off for 4 hours on the shortest and darkest day of the year!

To my surprise, when I looked out of the window between 4:30 and  5 pm.
I noticed light...
the rain had stopped and there was a glowing light on the horizon.

Saturday's Garden Observations

Every spring I look forward to these tulips for
I love the shade...

While my husband, D, dug in the vegetable
garden, this lovely butterfly rested on the ground.

The pink shadblow just bloomed.
It's delicate flowers reach for the sky.

At the same time the Nanking cherry with it's
delicate pale pink hue is in bloom.

Surf

Today the air was calm and the temperatures
on the mild side but the sea was a different story.



Something yellow caught my eye and
I followed a yellow butterfly as it clung
to wild radish flowers as the sea
roared around it.

The sea appeared deceptively calm
in between big swells that crashed
upon the rocky coast.
A mist settled over Mt. Agamenticus
as the sun began to set.