The Monarch Butterfly’s Spring Migration

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The time is approaching for eastern Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) to return to the U.S. east coast from their wintering grounds in Mexico: a more beautiful visitor is hard to imagine. Though the population of the Monarch has declined significantly in recent years, a decline linked to several changes in the butterfly’s environment, the MB is not yet listed as endangered. Fortunately, several organizations are at work trying to protect the butterflies; RT offers links to a couple of them, Monarch Watch and Monarch Butterfly Fund. As is so often the case, the status of the most vulnerable members of a community is a good indicator of the community’s overall health.   RT

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Photograph: A Monarch Butterfly on a Purple Coneflower (2007). Author: Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man). WikiCmns; License: GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 only. This image was selected as picture of the day on English Wikipedia, August 27, 2008.

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Bright button charm bracelet

 

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some color for the season…   RT

(reposted from Atelier Ilyere)

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Bright button charm bracelet.

Lighthearted…

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A certain lighthearted whimsy has overtaken RT since publishing the first four tablets of Gilgamesh this morning. In the spirit of the moment, he offers this drawing…

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Drawing: Here Comes the Parade (1881); Ida Waugh; WikiCmns; Public Domain.

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flower

 

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some color for a Thursday evening…  RT

(reposted from photos #2)

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flower.

Watercolor Experiment with Pink Outlines

 

 

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fun stuff for april…  RT

(reposted from The Painter Speaks)

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Watercolor Experiment with Pink Outlines.

In Progress: Iron Work and Blossoms

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Washington at its most beguiling…  RT

(reposted from Theresa Bean)

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In Progress: Iron Work and Blossoms.

Happy Birthday, All You Spring Babies!!

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well, spring is a traditional time for birthing, and RT knows quite a few people with birthdays during the season. As for the Porsche cake, well, RT has got a hunch it’s delicious…dig in (& happy birthday), everyone!!!   RT

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Photo: Designer Porsche Cake; Author: Tony Alter (cake made by Couture Cakes of Newport News); WikiCmns; CC 2.0 Generic.

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spring’s arrival

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women store their coats

find their garlands, walking free

in their body’s bloom

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© copyright, 2013, The Rag Tree

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Fresco: Primavera from Stabiae; (Villa Arianna; one of the most famous frescoes, the undisputed masterpiece of painting from the Roman period (third Pompeian style), surely inspired by terracotta figurines of the fourth century BC). WikiCmns; Public Domain.

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Impressions of a leaf

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it’s april…   RT

(reposted from The ancient eavesdropper)

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Impressions of a leaf.

tagged M

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farewell to winter…   RT

(reposted from Flickr Comments)

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tagged M.