In news of the fun we received a marvelous Young Naturalist's Backpack Kit to review from Home Science Tools. This is really a great gift idea for the child that has everything but loves the outdoors! One of the things that came with it was a huge quality butterfly net. We quickly assembled it and my two middle adventurers set out into the wilds of our backyard seeking anything with wings. They were willing to harvest a large Carpenter Bee when they stumbled across the lovely Western Tiger Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly. The picture does not do it any justice whatsoever. It was huge and gloriously colored and just beautiful!! I sat my oldest three down and said, sketch! It was our nature moment and we were going to have at it. :+)

We do not have much in the way of real actual "nature" in our backyard. Rather we have more bermuda grass than any one home should be encompassed with, but we make do and on occasion God sees fit to send something wonderful our way. Last week we had a gorgeous tiny hummingbird. The trick, or so I am informed by my friend the butterfly photographer and expert, is the flowers or plants you have in your yard. Well the swallowtail was one lucky invertebrate because we happened to have a few actual living full color flowers in the backyard that had not been killed or cut for the dining table by sweet smallish people who just know their mommy appreciates freshly plucked flowers on her dining room table. :+)

So, my middles swooped down on the swallowtail and it never knew what hit it. Thankfully, no harm came to the butterfly in the making of either this blog post, the capture, short imprisonment in our pop-up bug habitat, sketching, or the eventual release. However, some fun and excitement sure did. So what is in your backyard?