The Second Time Around
Uploaded: June 07, 2010
Free from her chrysalis only 5 hours previously, this beautiful and dainty Painted Lady butterfly was the last to emerge from her cocoon from the 13 caterpillars given to me by a wonderful and thoughtful friend who knew I had never witnessed this amazing process from beginning to end. And it was truly an amazing experience. Unlike her 12 other brothers and sisters already scattered to the four winds, this little beauty took her time leaving my yard but with her wings finally dry, she slowly lifted off the flower and floated up and over our backyard fence ..and took a bit of my heart with her...I'm feeling a bit like an "empty-nester" right about now! :)
Exif: F Number: 9, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/25 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 250, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 100.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 7D
Maria A. Gonzalez June 07, 2010
A beautiful capture of one of your babies,Valerie...The lighting is beautiful so are the colors..Excellent detail and composition..Isn't wonderful to be able to see the transformation of these beautiful and loved creatures...It is like magic and such an incredible experience...Douglas Pignet June 07, 2010
Everything about this image is there, right light,colors and comp. Very well done #8670709Ellen Hodges June 07, 2010
Exquisite capture, Val! The detail and beauty are extremely beautiful!! Have a great Monday! Nice story, too! #8670723Anita Hogue June 07, 2010
WOW, she's gorgeous! #8670737Patricia Seidler June 07, 2010
What a beauty Valarie. Terrific color, lighting and incredible detail. Your narrative is also a masterpiece. Im sure we will see this one again. #8670753
Jeff Robinson
June 07, 2010
Robert R. Goodman June 07, 2010
Hi Valarie,Those little butterflies seem to be everywhere.We have a lot of them out here.Beautiful capture my friend.Wonderful lighting and deail!!! #8670781Melissa Olsen June 07, 2010
Well, this is a winner if I ever saw one. Totally amazing! #8670904Patti Coblentz June 07, 2010
I am in total agreement with Melissa!Patti #8670972
Husain Akhtar June 07, 2010
Excellent record of life - outstanding capture! #8670986
Linda D. Lester
June 07, 2010
Gina Cormier June 07, 2010
<----grovel.....grovel....grovel.....Exquisite presentation of this beautiful butterfly and floral. I love the soft color and tones to this one. I too was given some cocoons last year and we had so much fun watching them. We let the monarch butterflies emerge in my gazebo with the screens down. Then when they were ready, we opened and let them fly out. Only one stayed behind and I left her there until she wanted to leave. So cool!!!!! :-) #8671233
Ron McEwan June 07, 2010
Stunningly beautiful Val and the narrative is special well done in every way. #8671263Julianne Bradford June 07, 2010
Truely exquisite capture of this beauty Valarie! I'm sure she'll flit back sometime, but you have captured her forever to share with everyone. What an act of love :-) Thanks! #8671396
Leslie McLain
June 07, 2010
Rony Sagy June 07, 2010
Totally agree. This is no doubt a fantastic winner. What a spectacular capture and wonderful story. It really touched my heart. #8671495
Kathy Salerni
June 07, 2010
Kerry Hill June 07, 2010
So beautiful Valarie! What a fantastic natures wonder to watch! #8671699Gord MacEachern June 07, 2010
Isn't nature beautiful Valarie, and you captured a fabulous result of ma nature at her finest.Carol L. Fowler June 07, 2010
Be strong, Mom. They will remember you and perhaps return with broods of their own! Beautiful capture, indeed. #8673032Karen Engelbreth June 07, 2010
Wonderful image and story, Valarie... #8673114Tammy Espino June 07, 2010
What a wonderful story and capture! #8674085
Carol Eade
June 07, 2010
Barbara Waldoch June 08, 2010
Beautiful shot, Valarie!
Val Feldman
June 08, 2010
Dianna Murphy June 08, 2010
What a great story and how sad to see her go, maybe she'll return. I know this image will return next month in the finals! #8679429
Val Feldman
June 09, 2010
Ruth E. Foster-Lindsay June 09, 2010
Wow Valarie! Beautiful capture! The colors are so gorgeous it looks like a painting! What a wonderful gift from your friend! #8682880
Val Feldman
June 09, 2010
Julie Burnett June 11, 2010
Val, you amaze me with your talent. Perfectly composed with excellent clarity, a sure winner, and what a wonderful story!! #8687913Marty Straub June 11, 2010
Wonderful story and a very special capture, Valarie. Your inner beauty is written all over both. #8688329Daniella Puente June 11, 2010
Beautiful Valarie... #8688932Nadia Paul June 11, 2010
How very beautiful and special Valarie - wonderful image! #8689608
Val Feldman
June 12, 2010
Ann H. Belus
June 19, 2010
Val Feldman
June 25, 2010
Tammy Espino January 24, 2012
Congrats on your awesome finalist!! :) I see gold ~ Good luck next round my friend!! #9939848
Deborah C. Lewinson
January 24, 2012
Congratulations!
Debby #9939933
Kathy Salerni
January 24, 2012
Karen Bacon January 24, 2012
A huge congratulations on this excellent finalist Val!Good luck in the next round and hope to see this wearing gold! #9940398Don Christiana January 24, 2012
How did I miss the beautiful entry? Val, a big CONGRATS on your Finalist and yes...we will see this in the winners circle. Have a great day. #9940735
Tammy M. Anderson
January 24, 2012
Emile Abbott
January 24, 2012
Renee Doyle January 24, 2012
Awesome!! Congratulations Val! #9941317Phyllis A. Houghton January 24, 2012
Congratulations on your finalist, Val. What beautiful detail. #9941394Lorna Shutter January 24, 2012
Woo Hoo!!! WTG, MS. VAL!!! CONGRATULATIONS on your well-deserved Finalist Award!!!!! Good luck in the next round!!! :)
Patrick Rouzes
January 24, 2012
Cheryl Winn January 24, 2012
Amazing capture, Val! Exquisite! #9941866Lorna Shutter January 24, 2012
Yep, I taught Patrick everything I know! LOL! :D #9941907Robert R. Goodman January 24, 2012
Hi Valarie,Congratulations on this beautiful finalist!!! #9941998
Chris Budny
January 24, 2012
JO ANN CLEVELAND January 24, 2012
Congratulations on this outstanding finalist Val!jo ann c. #9942118
Phyllis H. Burchett January 24, 2012
That must have really been something to witness Val, BIG congrats! #9942279
Mary Dimitriw
January 24, 2012
Ellen Hodges January 24, 2012
Huge congrats and very best luck with this gorgeous finalist, Val!! the writing of the story should get a finalist, too!!! Verrry lovely!!! Regards to Mom!!! #9942663
Terry Cervi
January 24, 2012
Heather Loewenhardt
January 24, 2012
Carol L. Fowler January 24, 2012
Wonderful capture and story! Big Congrats Val!! #9942833
Ann Coates
January 24, 2012
Agnes Fegan
January 24, 2012
Usman M. Bajwa
January 24, 2012
UB. #9943136
Gord MacEachern January 25, 2012
Big congratulations on your wonderful finalist Val!! #9943693Michelle Alton January 25, 2012
Somehow I missed this when first posted, Val. Wow! This is stunning, and what an amazing story. Congratulations. I don't think this is the end of the story! #9943776
Leslie McLain
January 25, 2012
Bojan Bencic
January 25, 2012
Val Feldman
January 25, 2012
Karen Slagle January 25, 2012
Fantastic details in your wonderful finalist, Val. Best of luck next round. #9944595Julianne Bradford January 25, 2012
Such beauty is well worth revisiting. Congratulations Valarie..I hope she sports a badge of gold the next time we see her #9944913Anita Hogue January 25, 2012
Oh, soooooo lovely! Congratulations, Val! #9945366Tammy Espino January 25, 2012
Congratulations on your win :) #9945779Renee Doyle January 25, 2012
Big congrats on this excellent winner Val!! #9945823Lorna Shutter January 25, 2012
Woo Hoo!!! CONGRATULATIONS on your 2nd Place Win, Val!!!!! WTG!!! :)
Kathy Salerni
January 25, 2012
Joannie Bertucci
January 25, 2012
Heather Loewenhardt
January 25, 2012
Terry Cervi
January 25, 2012
Robert R. Goodman January 25, 2012
Congratulations my friend!!!! #9946057Amy M. Wilson January 25, 2012
A hearty congratulations on your STUNNING Gold winner... simply perfect, Val - love it!!! #9946190Monnie Ryan January 25, 2012
Gorgeous, Val -congratulations! #9946324
Patrick Rouzes
January 25, 2012
Val Feldman
January 25, 2012
Leslie McLain
January 25, 2012
R. J. Laudenbacher
January 25, 2012
Diane E. Deming
January 25, 2012
Ellen Hodges January 25, 2012
Huge congrats on a fabulous winner, Val!!! Soooo glad to see this beauty as a winner!! #9946871Rona L. Schwarz January 25, 2012
How could I have missed this the first time around?! And I didn't even make it through all the Finalists yet...Simply stunning, Val - another one of your spectacular macros - this one is extra special because it is so rarely seen. What an incredible experience this must have been. Thanks for sharing this special moment. Big Congrats on this brilliant Winner!!! #9946919Alan L. Borror January 26, 2012
Huge congratulations on your wonderful winner, Val! #9947173
Usman M. Bajwa
January 26, 2012
UB. #9947297
Bojan Bencic
January 26, 2012
Julie Burnett January 26, 2012
HUGE congratulations on this fabulous winner, Val!! #9947385Patti Coblentz January 26, 2012
Congratulations on your beautiful winner, Val...and hello :) #9947423Kathy Cline January 26, 2012
Congratulations Val,Cathy A. Rose January 26, 2012
Beautiful capture!! Congratulations!!! Well deserved!! #9947604
Dayna Cain
January 26, 2012
Linda D. Lester
January 26, 2012
Claudine Grove
January 26, 2012
Don Christiana January 26, 2012
Congratulation Val for your big win. The image is beautiful and so was your story you provided about this wonderful natures process. I hope you have a great day... #9948298
Deborah C. Lewinson
January 26, 2012
Hardy congrats on your win, Val!
Debby #9948731
Emile Abbott
January 26, 2012
Michael Umbreit January 27, 2012
Val - Congratulations on your winning image!! - Mike #9949940
Ann Coates
January 27, 2012
Kitty R. Rodehorst-Hanna January 28, 2012
WTG on your wonderful winning photo! :-) k #9952734
Bonnie C. Lackey
January 28, 2012
Mary Dimitriw
January 28, 2012
Patricia Seidler January 29, 2012
Congratulations Val on this terrific winner! I knew we would see this again! #9953695Merna L. Nobile February 03, 2012
#9963155
Patricia A. Casey
May 22, 2013
Ed Lauderdale
March 29, 2016
Joanna Kovalcsik
June 19, 2017
Val Feldman
June 28, 2017
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