Ma Ma Jacquie's Blah Blah Blog

The weather was so beautiful this morning, we couldn't resist taking a drive up the coast to Pismo. It's Monarch butterfly time and we like to go see how the little guys are doing each winter. This year was the best because we finally got to witness something that we have heard about but never seen.
The butterflies hang in big clumps of hundreds-thousands to stay protected from the cold and wind. As the temperature rises they gradually start opening and closing their wings and flutter away from the group. But sometimes..... the sun begins to shine on a clump, and all at once they ALL start to fly! It's like the whole branch just explodes. Then this stream of butterflies comes pouring off the branch for about 5 seconds and the air above you is just filled with fluttering wings. It's really quite beautiful! And we got to see it today for the first time. Cool! (This picture doesn't really do it justice. I need one of those 2 foot long lense do-dads. Oh, well.)