Interlude with a butterfly

As I left the house this morning for my Tai Chi class and pulled the gate open, I suddenly noticed that there was a large butterfly on the gatepost. I had barely missed knocking it off and then saw that its wings were hanging limply and blowing in the wind. It must have just emerged from its chrysalis and was waiting in the early morning sunshine for the veins in its wings to fill before setting off on its short but no doubt joyous life.

Of course, I was then trapped at the gate, because I couldn't close it without squashing the butterfly, which had moved slightly. A strong wind blew its wings, folding and flapping them with the butterfly clinging to the post, wondering what this strange new world was all about. I put my finger in front of it and straight away it climbed aboard and started to walk all over and around my hand. It's not often you get a chance to do that with a butterfly. Still its wings flipped and flopped, so I put it in a safe place where the animals couldn't disturb it and eventually set off for the class - I had to apologise for being late, but the teacher understood completely when I told her I was waylaid by a butterfly.

No doubt this butterfly will lay hundreds of eggs which will hatch into caterpillars that will grow gigantic and devour my plants. But perhaps it will remember me and lay them in the neighbour's garden!