the surprise of the monarchs

in my backyard, 2014

The Sword of Surprise

Sunder me from my bones, O sword of God
Till they stand stark and strange as do the trees;
That I whose heart goes up with the soaring woods
May marvel as much at these.

Sunder me from my blood that in the dark
I hear that red ancestral river run
Like branching buried floods that find the sea
But never see the sun.

Give me miraculous eyes to see my eyes
Those rolling mirrors made alive in me
Terrible crystals more incredible
Than all the things they see

Sunder me from my soul, that I may see
The sins like streaming wounds, the life's brave beat
Till I shall save myself as I would save
A stranger in the street.

~ G. K. Chesterton                                  

Thank you, Christopher, for another great Chesterton discovery! Although I have to admit, I'm still a bit partial to his essay on "The great art of lying in bed."

The monarch butterflies are traveling through central Oklahoma, making their way down to the hills outside Mexico City where they will roost for the winter.  If you want to read more about this miraculous yearly event, click here.

What a joy it is to sit in my backyard and watch them drop by, like colorful messages from heaven...

art from "The Butterfly" by Patricia Polacco

all hail! the monarchs have arrived

"There were literally hundreds of monarchs all over the flowers at the Myriad Garden in Oklahoma City," per OKbirds Listserve.  September 25, 2013

Oklahoma backyard, Monarch oasis, 2013

One of the wondrous events this time of of year in Oklahoma is the arrival of the monarch migration.

Like shooting stars lighting up the night sky, the monarch’s Fall journey southward brings color and wondrous beauty across the landscape of central Oklahoma. When one of these flows (large groups) of migrating monarch comes through, it is not unusual to see hundreds flying together.

It’s truly a phenomenal story--one that began last year.

Every Spring, tens of millions of monarchs leave their Winter refuge deep in central Mexico to journey north to the southern states in the U.S., where each butterfly then lays hundreds of eggs. That generation, and sometimes the following generation of monarchs, then continues trekking north across North America through June—arriving as far north as Canada’s prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Then at the end of summer, the monarch butterflies turn around and flutter 3,000 miles south, back to Mexico’s Michoacán Forest where they will live for the Winter.

This year's sightings, as of this week

I am deeply enchanted by these winged beauties who dance and even roost on the oak trees in our backyard. And I love the fact that scientists cannot explain their multi-generational, circular journey. They simply don’t know how these subsequent generations of monarchs can orient themselves and navigate each year towards a place they've never been before.

This year, however, the number of migrating monarchs has considerably diminished—and the flows seem to be later than normal. There are numerous environmental, weather, and human factors affecting the monarchs. You can read a good overview on this here, from the Monarch Butterfly learning center.

And while it's always easier to point the blame finger to what's going on elsewhere, here are some ideas as to what I--and you--can do to help, and another take here.  

One simple idea: buy milkweed seeds or plugs from Monarch Watch to create a hearty monarch waystation in your own backyard! 

Blessed the one whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the LORD, his God,

The maker of heaven and earth,

the seas and all that is in them,

Who keeps faith forever

~Psalm 146:5-6

Knowing the Way

Monarch butterflies are astonishing creatures. Every Spring, tens of millions of monarchs leave their Winter refuge deep in central Mexico to journey to the southern states in the U.S., where each butterfly proceeds to lay hundreds of eggs. That generation, and sometimes the following generation of monarchs, then continues trekking across North America through June—arriving as far north as Canada’s prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

At the end of summer, the monarch butterflies turn around and flutter 3,000 miles south, back to Mexico’s Michoacán Forest for the Winter.

monarch sightings Fall 2012

This time of year, their journey takes them right through central Oklahoma. Even though the hot and dry summer has diminished the number of migrating monarchs this year, I have been delighted to watch the winged beauties dancing through and even roosting on the oak trees in our backyard this week.

I love the fact that scientists cannot explain their circular journey. They simply don’t know how these subsequent generations of monarchs can orient themselves and navigate each year towards a place they've never been before.

Pondering this miracle in nature, I can’t help but think of our wondrous God, “who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them”—a God who, like tending to the details of every single monarch, fills me with daily nourishment and gladness of heart.

monarchs traveling through Oklahoma 2012

By the way, if you want to become a “citizen scientist” and assist in the tracking of monarchs, drop by: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/