BUTTERFLIES ON THE CAKE

This cake is on display at the Butterfly House and I believe it is one of the best decorated piece.  Of course, the theme is easy and butterfly is such a lovable, colorful species.  (I just realized that the word "species" is both singular and plural - I need to pay more attention and try to improve my limited vocabulary!)

Back in 2011, when I was "thrown off the bridge", instead of feeling sorry for myself, after spending time in the morning on job search, I volunteered for 4 hours in the afternoon, three days a week at the Butterfly House. 

I learned about the butterfly from the training and enjoyed explaining to visitors.  I enjoyed talking to people from out of town, especially tourists from other countries.  Most of the volunteers were nice to work with but there were a few that were "questionable"!

I highly recommend the Butterfly House if you are visiting St. Louis.  It is a fun place and most of the kids love the butterflies.  (There were a few that were terrified of the butterfly, especially when a butterfly landed on their body.  The more I tried to explain that the butterfly would not hurt them, the more the kids became frighten!)

It is getting warm today - we were planning to drive around in the T-bird but we decided to stay indoor.  I should clean up my office, organize the closets and it's time to gather items for donations.  Oh, all my earthly possessions - they could be more burden than blessings when you have more than you actually need.  What earthly possessions will you give away today?

HAPPY PLACE (LIFE IN MINNESOTA'S 9TH LARGEST CITY)

Inspired by the "Happy Place" post from Eagan Daily Photo (www.eagandailyphoto.blogspot.com), I am sharing photos from last year Orchid's Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden.  For 2013, the show will run thru March 31st.  I may go to the show this weekend. 

It is very confusing this week with the temperature, it is sunny and in the upper 40s yet is rather cold without a heavy jacket.  At times, the wind makes it so much colder.  I heard we might have rain/snow showers on Friday/Saturday.  I would not be surprised if we had snow on Easter Sunday!

I spent the afternoon at an employment agency.  The process was very different compared to when I signed up with the agency for job placement when we moved to St. Louis in 1994.  This time, after being greeted by the receptionist, I was assigned to a computer and there I completed my employment application, filled out income tax withholding forms, I-9 Employment Eligibility form, took several assessment tests including computer skills, personality tests and aptitude tests.  Then an interview with the Placement Manager going over my work history and then the question, "Why did you leave ......?".  Well, I did not leave, I was "thrown off the bridge" after I "dared" to file a complaint about a 2nd incident of ..........  

I was emotionally exhausted after almost 4 hours of being at the agency, especially having to tell the "story" again.  It seemed like the wound was never completely healed.
Traffic was not too bad and I was able to make it to the evening Mass (during Lenten Season we have 5:30 p.m. Mass in addition to the morning Masses).  We already went to Confession so I tried not to wish ill on "a particularly individual" until after Easter!!!!! 
It has been a struggle since I began this journey.  I believe that things happened for a reason and something good will come out of this experience.  I have moved forward and am already in a Happy Place!

FIRST THURSDAY RAMBLING (2013)

One more time - Happy New Year!  I thought these images from the Butterfly House would be a good start - positive, beautiful thoughts and acceptance that life goes on (the lifespan of a butterfly, dependent on the breed, could be only a few days or up to a year - no 100 years old butterfly). Spread your wings, fly high and enjoy each moment in the sun.  I found an article in the Grand Haven Tribune (at www.grandhaventribune.com) about a professional cyclist currently living on a sailboat.  You could read her blog at www.alwaysgoblog.wordpress.com.  I have thought of her comment, "Tickets are issued.  Only a few check-in for the journey of their dreams", where is your ticket? 

We missed the Times Square New Year ball-drop ceremony again!  Ralphie was already in bed and I continued watching the Twilight Zone Marathon.  I was supposed to keep watch but I fell asleep on the sofa and did not hear the clock striked at midnight.  2012 quietly left and 2013 casually came without bothering to wake us up for the celebration.

We had a few flurries on the last day of 2012, not enough for accumulation.  After putting in a couple of volunteer hours at the Butterfly House, I went to the store to return two sweaters and a necklace Ralphie had given me.  Next year I will remember to actually go to the store, look and touch before putting the items on my wish list.  The sweaters only looked good in the catalog and the necklace was actually a tiny, wimpy piece.  After the store, I visited a parishioner who had hip and knee surgery.  I brought her Holy Communion since she could not drive to attend Mass.   

I completed the 50 hours of volunteer in 2012 to qualify for an honorary membership with the Garden.  The regular membership is $65, that comes out to be $1.30 per volunteer hour.  I know you don't calculate wages when you volunteer.  I would rather get a good paying job so I could afford the $65 annual membership than putting in volunteer hours (at $1.30 per hour) while being unemployed.  OK, let's put a stop to this negative thinking! 

Ralphie was off the whole week of Christmas and finally went back to work on the 2nd.  The Director of Quality quit last month and moved to Nashville for a better job.  Ralphie told the company that he is happy with being Quality Engineer, doing the work without the pressure of being a manager.  The company already found a replacement and the new Director will start on Jan. 14th.  He and his family will be moving to St. Louis from Charlotte, North Carolina. Come to think of it, we have been in St. Louis 18+ years.  Ralphie said that pretty soon I will be more St. Louisian than being Vietnamese since I left Viet Nam when I was 19 years old.  I might have to make up stories about going to John F. Kennedy High School in Manchester! 

TUESDAY TWO - ALL WE NEED IS LOVE

Regular readers (and a few faithful followers) know I am not particularly "thrilled" when it comes to Valentine's Day. In my humble opinion, it is just another commercialized celebration mostly for the benefits of greeting cards companies, florists and jewelers. Let's not forget the chocolate covered strawberries (there goes the diet)! I am not comfortable with "mushy" expressions or display of affecttion that just for shows. However, not wanting to be known as a "Valentine's Day pooper", I would like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and may all your days be filled with love and lot of love.

I thought these photos of the butterflies (taken from the Butterfly House) and the sculptures (bottom photos) at St. Louis Zoo, would be appropriate for this Tuesday Two post as well as for Valentine's Day.

Most of the snow from yesterday was gone. The sun actually came out around noon. The temperature was in the 40s but it was not windy, so the day was pretty comfortable when I went to the library and then food shopping.

The above sculpture reminds me of the movie "The Lion King". Even wild animals like tigers and lions love, protect and care for their offsprings, yet, there are people who abandon their children or worst, discard their babies simply because the option is readily available or were misinformed that it was the right choice.

TUESDAY TWO - BUTTERFLIES

The theme for December at the Butterfly House (www.butterflyhouse.org) is Snow in the Tropics when over 1,000 Paper Kite butterflies in free-flight over white orchids. The black/white butterflies gave an illusion of snow falling inside the tropical conservatory.

Not much happening after the 4-day Thanksgiving break, just the typical work load and daily lunch that consisted of left-over turkey. The weather was still in the mid-40s. CP finally stored his golf clubs away. He also put the hard-top on the T-bird and then carefully giving "her" a good coat of wax. I started looking around for ideas what to get CP for his birthday/Christmas. It is nice to marry to a man whose birthday is on December 25th. I only have to buy two presents and then decide which one is for birthday and the other would be for Christmas!

900th POST (A BLOG OF TOTA BEGINS WITH A SMALL POST IN AUGUST 2006)

This is the 900th post of this little boring, ramblings blog of mine! It is a major milestone and a good reason for celebrations. Special thanks always go to Qaptain Qwerty for helping me taking the first step, back in August 2006, toward the blogging world. Along the journey, QQ encouraged me to add photos (that was a bad idea) and gently nudged me whenever I slacked off. He never made fun of my cheesy photos and silly ramblings (well, a few times he did make fun of my obsession with hockey/football).

I have the privilege of knowing so many interesting bloggers. There are a few "cyber friends" that I treasure. The blogs I follow are those I read regularly, almost daily. (I don't know how some people could follow hundred of blogs.) I enjoy and appreciate Alisa (Displaced American www.alisajoy.blogspot.com), Nonna (Tasty Tales www.lynnskitchen202.blogspot.com) for letting me in their "home/kitchen".

Nonna is so kind with her comments even though I don't leave comments regularly on her blog nor any other blogs (sorry). When I first started blogging, someone told me to leave comments like, "Nice post" or "Interesting story", to drive traffic to my own blog. Another "trick" was to follow a lot of blogs (without actually visiting or reading), to get more readers/followers. Then what? The readers probably will visit once and never came back to my boring blog anyway. I don't have advertisement (Adsense) nor getting any commission for promoting any products. I am blogging/reading other people writing, for my own enjoyment, not to make money. There is nothing wrong with making a few dollars from blogging, but it is not something I am interested in, yet!

Blogging has been a wonderful experience and at times uplifting. It has created a circle of friendship and we no longer are just strangers sharing our thoughts. I have been praying for Vicky at The Westra World http://www.thewestraworld.blogspot.com/ and Leontien at http://www.fourleadcloverdairy.blogspot.com/ as they are going thru cancer treatments. (Vicky and Leontien, look forward to reading that you are on your way to complete recovery.)

There are a few bloggers that did not post regularly and I think of them often. (Hint - the Lone Gunman, how have you been? Hope all is well with you and your family.)
To all the blogging friends, thank you for sharing. To all my adoring fans and faithful readers, thank you and let the celebrations begin!

TUESDAY TWO - ORCHIDS IN PAIRS

Orchids in pairs or Orchids in Paris? Hey Qaptain Qwerty, is this qualified as "spoonie"?

OWLS AND ORCHIDS

Unlike other butterflies, the owl butterflies do not visit flowers for nectar, they prefer fruits as the main source for food. Can you tell how many gathered on the fruit tray of slices of orange in the above photo?

The owl butterflies are the largest butterflies and they got their name from the classic eyepot on the undersurface of their wings. During the day, they rest on tree trunks, on the walls, on the ground or on any surface.

In October, the Butterfly House features almost 100 blooming orchids and almost 2,000 owl butterflies from Costa Rica and Surinam got their "visa or working permit" to visit St. Louis during the month of October. The owl butterflies take wing in the evening in search for food and mates. I went to the Butterfly House on Tuesday when the Coservatory opens late until 7:00 p.m. We were surrounded by the owl butterflies flying in large group. It was a treat to see the owl butterflies in flight, in the dark. I saw a guest's head was almost covered by owl butterflies. He looked like he did not mind because they covered the areas where his hair no longer there.

I took these photos earlier in the day. The orchids looked so beautiful, especially with the sun shining, making the flowers so much more radiant.

It always made me happy whenever I visited the Butterfly House. Just seeing the colorful, beautiful blooming orchids and watching the butterflies in flight (so carefree so unconstrained) and for those moments, all my troubles seemed to be so far away!

Do you like orchids? Do you have orchids in your homes? Do you know the name of the orchids in this post? I will be sharing more photos of the butterflies and orchids in future posts.

INSIDE THE CONSERVATORY AT THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE

These photos were taken in May when my sister and I visited the Butterfly House. CH had a great time there, especially when we watched the emergence of the butterflies. In this large display box, there were a number of chrysalises that were soon to emerge.

CH was very excited when we spotted the above butterfly nectaring from the flowers. Others such as Morphos and Owls take their food from rotting fruits (bananas) instead of flowers.

CH put her hands out so the butterfly would land on her palms. We were not supposed to touch the butterfly. If they landed on us, we would have to shake our body to get it off. The butterfly is very fragile that even the most gentle touch might hurt them.

Could you identify the species of all the butterflies in this post? Sorry, this is not a contest and there are no prizes, just bragging rights!