Butterflies

As I sit down to write this, on April 17th, the words "Winter Storm Warning" are flashing in my mind. 3-6 inches of snow are expected overnight, with the worst of it hitting during the morning commute.

Let's think about last weekend instead, shall we?

Our first stop on our weekend in Grand Rapids--besides the mandatory stop for coffee and treats on the way out of town--was the Frederick Meijer Gardens. They were featuring their butterfly exhibit. Described on the website as such:

"Butterflies Are Blooming is Meijer Gardens' most popular annual exhibition and the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation. March 1–April 30, visitors can escape the Michigan winter and mingle with more than 6,000 tropical butterflies flying free in the 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Conservatory."

Despite the fact that most of Grand Rapids was waiting in line outside, it was well worth the trip. It was warm and humid inside, and within a few moments we were stripping off our coats and remembering what summer felt like. The boys marvelled at all the butterflies and did their best to coax one to land on them. (no such luck) I'd like to come back on a day that wasn't so crowded, and linger a bit more--but the crowded didn't stop us from really enjoying it.

If you look closely in these pictures, you might catch glimpses of the Aunties and Gustie in the background.

Then we stepped outside and saw some of the beautiful grounds, including the Children's Garden. Well worth the visit--and definitely on the list of things to do the next time we go back.

(above, jelly beans were sometimes used as incentive for good behavior... not unlike last summer's hiking expeditions)