Photo of a painted lady butterfly on budlia. The narcotic for bees and butterflies.

[Kkimm]

I had a lovely meal by a beautiful river a few days ago. The river was crystal clear and had trout swimming between the wavering weeds that looked like mermaids hair.

A duck wandered around the tables giving one polite quack at each table to see if there was any food on offer. Butterflies fluttered around the budlia bushes drinking in the narcotic nectar. I have heard that bees and butterflies love budlia so much they will become obsessed without it and will refuse to pollinate anything else when there is budlia nearby.

I looked around at the diners all clutching their glasses of cold white wine and beer then at my own glass of red wine and thought mmm I can understand where the bees and butterflies are coming from in their delight in budlia. We can all have our own version of budlia in our lives!!

Kim

[LilyAnnepuppy]

Wonderful picture and beautiful words. Thanks for sharing both.

[Kkimm in reply to LilyAnnepuppy]

Thank you so much

[SquirrelsHolt]

Thank you Kkimm for a lovely description of your day out and also the wonderfull "painted lady". 💞🍷🌺🌸

[Kkimm in reply to SquirrelsHolt]

Thanks, your words are much appreciated

[SquirrelsHolt in reply to Kkimm]

You are more than welcome. Hope you have a good Bank holiday weekend💞

[fauxartist]

excellent writing and great message....and yes...I had someone once make a comment to me when we were walking accross a field on our way to an appointment, and I spotted this little red berry clumped flower and pointed out how beautiful it was, the guy with us said, I can't believe you would even see stuff like that....I always do.....and thought how sad he didn't.

Your in the right frame of mind I believe when you can litterally 'stop and smell the roses'.

[Kkimm in reply to fauxartist]

That means such alot to me thank you.

Your comment is particularly interesting as I did another version of this story on the PTSD website with a red admiral butterfly photo which was longer and talked about the company I was in while I thought about the effect of budlia on bees and butterflies. I knew my aunt and uncle who were with me would not have been interested and had already been irritated by the presence of the duck because it had interrupted their story about their modifications to their house and how dreadful their builders were. All the beauty and interest of nature going on around them went completely over their heads!!!

Kim.

[fauxartist in reply to Kkimm]

I know!..... your the lucky one....and it's cost free....

[Stilltrying_]

Fabulous KIm , really stunning photo xx

[Kkimm in reply to Stilltrying_]

Thanks so much Gemma

[Laniben]

Sounds lovely Kim, I went for a walk with my youngest daughter and the grandchildren on Thursday, not seen so many swans before! Plus a couple of ponies in the field. We were feeding the swans and they kept following us 😊