an unexpected butterfly

Imagine my surprise when I was having my lunch the other day, sitting in the sun by the dining room window, when, biting into my sandwich, I thought I saw a butterfly flutter across my eyes! I thought I was seeing things. Is my imagination taking over? I left my guests wondering as I got up and began to search up and down and behind and around the room.

There she was! Climbing along the red threads of the doily I crocheted years ago. Butterflies flying around inside the house as the snow falls outside the window? This is not butterfly season, so where did this pale yellow Cabbage White come from? She should be found in the fantastic world of fields, meadows, and gardens. Spring and summer are her playground, not late winter.

I can only surmise that last fall a mother butterfly placed an egg under the leaf of a potted plant that I had in my garden. Then when I brought that plant inside for the winter, the egg became a caterpillar that spun its cocoon and then because of the short winter days, fell fast asleep. Like Snow White, she went into dormancy. Decided not to wake up til next year; til the sun shone on her face.

Maybe the cocoon was hiding under a leaf of cuetlaxachitl? The sun shining in my dining room window in late winter is deceptively hot even though it is freezing outdoors and the snow lies piled around. Perhaps the cocoon was warmed by the sun and fooled: time to wake up! Put on your pale yellow dress, your butterfly wings, and fly!