I revisited my inner girl today and chased butterflies through a field.

But not this one.  He posed for me last summer, back when I still shot everything on Auto.

Today all the butterflies were in league to frustrate my attempts to capture them on my camera. Just as I would zoom in for a close up, away they flew. There’s only so much running a forty-something with a heavy camera hanging around her neck will do. The closest I came to these yellow babies was this:

Shame on those uncooperative butterflies.  I just couldn’t compete with the early nectar God offered them through the profusion of delicate wildflowers.

The good news is that I walked at least a mile.  The other good news is that everywhere I looked, I found signs that old man winter is (hopefully) over. Because I love you, and because I love spring and God’s promise of new beginnings and new birth, I’ll share some of my favorites:

Who knew weeds could be so pretty?  Dandelions are hardy little fellas.  Once they take root in your yard, forget about getting rid of them.  But the little girl in me still loves to pick them and blow their seeds into the wind. Who knows where they go? (Hopefully not my yard!)

Does anyone know what these are called?  They are always one of the first wildflowers to bloom in North Texas.  When I was a little girl pretending to be a princess, I used to pick them, weave them in my hair, and twirl around and around until I got dizzy and fell down.  I’m not telling if I did that today in the sight of the other park walkers and nature gawkers. A princess does have secrets, you know.

The Tree of Life.  I wonder if the REAL Tree of Life looks anything like this one.  Surrounded by a forest of dead-looking sentinels, this tree seems to reach up to the heavens with joy and life.  Green life.  Really green life.  Did I say green? My daughter asked me if I found any climbing trees. I don’t think this one qualifies unless she knew how to throw a grappling hook…but what a view the birds must have from up there. Speaking of birds, they serenaded my walk with sweet birdie songs as I chased butterflies and then settled on other natural subjects that don’t fly away.  Like trees. And slow-moving Ents.

Somehow I stumbled upon the fabled Fangorn Forest of Lord of the Rings lore.  Okay, just kidding.  I think.  This tree has to be related to Treebeard. Maybe a cousin? Let’s not be hasty…we have all the time in the world to decide while we walk together.

And then I stumbled on this gorgeous path.  I love the way the sleepy trees above contrast with the green carpeting below.  It was just as breathtaking in person as it is here in this photo.  Paths are wonderful inventions.  They are mysterious. They invite us to step in and see what incredible sights there may be just around the bend, such as this knobby tree:

At the very end of the delightful pathway, a true gift awaited my butterfly-chasing travails, in the form of what my daughter used to call “snowflowers.”

And that’s the story of my butterfly chasing escapade.  I’ll be kind and not show the picture of a half naked man running with his two slobbery dogs.  Not. Pretty.  Trust me on this.  Just please take a note of my plea the next time YOU take a walk in the park: put on a shirt! Unless your name is Treebeard.  Then I guess you don’t need a shirt.

But I digress.

Afternoon butterfly chasing and long walks in the park are good for the soul. I highly recommend them. And shirts, of course.