Tuesday, September 1

Butterflies, Spam and a Picnic


On Sunday, I walked into the garage and saw this butterfly on a table, sitting very still. I walked back into the house to get my camera, and when I went back into the garage, he started to fly away. I followed him in hopes he'd stop and I could shoot a photo - when lo and behold - he lit on my arm!! After I put this photo on Facebook, I had several comments saying that it was good luck. I had not heard that before, so it was pleasant news. So, now I'm ready for the luck to start.....

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Are you getting any spam comments lately? I have noticed more than a few, plus a new way for people to have access to your blog (and your readers, to theirs) that you may not want.

Sunday afternoon I clicked on my blog and found a new "follower". Now I love having followers, but some are sneaky! I clicked on the icon to see who it was and the site it directed me to was all about "Asian girls" (with huge boobies, and not the blue-footed kind either). I promptly set out to find a way to rid myself of that follower - and I blocked her. You may want to be on the lookout for similar followers. Although some guys will find them acceptable - I don't!

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My neighborhood is great - and most of you know that - if you've read here for any length of time. This past Sunday we had a pot-luck picnic; planned by 3 of our women and they did a bang-up job. If they aren't careful, they'll be asked to plan every event we have and their fame will spread far and wide, so they might be asked to plan elsewhere too!

They grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and everyone else brought side-dishes, buns, drinks, ice and desserts-to-die-for! I donated 4 long, folding tables and tablecloths, and took 9 pounds of baked beans!

They had one large tent and 2 smaller ones, and everyone brought their own chair. We were blessed with perfect weather; the children had a basketball court, tennis courts, badminton, croquet and each other to play with. There were about 40 adults and 20 children, out of a possible 100+, but it's a good number and not unmanageable.

We usually have a pulled-pork barbecue in the spring; and a company of out Wilson, NC is hired to bring the food, tables and drinks. That's always good, but I love the variety provided by the pot-luck. We have some amazing cooks here - I think we ought to do a neighborhood cookbook!

(Anne, what do you think?)



29 comments:

Pat said...

What wonderful luck to have that beautiful creature land on your arm. If it had been me I'd have dropped the camera.
Did you see my dragon fly - not so spectacular but it has gossamer wings.

Gilly said...

Now that pot-luck sounds really fun! Though as you read on my blog, we had a great time too! I love the idea of a neighbourhood getting together with food, BBQ etc. Doesn't seem to happen here, leastways not that I've heard of!

What a lovely butterfly! Do you know its name?

joared said...

Great photo and lovely butterfly. Glad you got the good luck omen.

Our neighborhood has lost some of the cohesiveness that once existed here since so many new people moved in who have little interest in "neighboring." Glad you appreciate what you have.

bobbie said...

that is a lovely little butterfly!

Haven't had any recent spam. It seems to come in bunches when you get it.

Glad you enjoyed your neighborhood friends!

Unknown said...

Oh my, that butterfly is stunning! There's something about the elegance of this creature that always makes me smile and appreciate God's work.

Thanks for the wonderful post,
Smiles,
Sue

Tabor said...

Butterflies have been holding a party in my front yard this year. I feel so blessed. I will keep an eye out for spam in followers now, although I don't have as many as you. Now lurkers, is another thing, I must have thousands...;-)

Star said...

Did you take that picture one handed ? Impressive. I was at a playground one fall day with 2 of my daughters and my grandson. A butterfly landed and st on my leg. I will have to look for the photo. I am not sure how much luck it brought me.

Arkansas Patti said...

Hope he left you a ton of good luck. Just getting the shot was pretty good luck in itself.
No spam yet but I am still a relative newbie. Guess they want blogs with big followings like you have. Just one of the pitfalls of success.
I have gotten attached to my lurkers since I was one for several years.

kenju said...

Star: luckily, he landed on my left arm. If I'd had to click the camera with my left hand, the shot would not have been so clear, I can assure you!

kenju said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Traci Dolan said...

Absolutely that was good luck! And you made me hungry talking about your potluck.

Paul Nichols said...

I think butterflies are one of God's gifts to our eyes. They are special.

I posted about my "followers," too. In fact, ...well, just go read it. Blogger.com oughta be shot.

oklhdan said...

First of all it sounds like you live in a wonderful neighborhood! Second, would you send that butterfly to Oklahoma? I could use some of that good luck!

Evil Twin's Wife said...

Beautiful butterfly and great pic! Your neighborhood pot luck sounds SO nice.

Buzzardbilly said...

What a gorgeous pic!

I can't believe you didn't save the link to big Asian boobies for those fellas who may want them. If I wanna see boobies, I just look down. In 45 years, I've grown quite bored with them.

Joy Des Jardins said...

Okay Judy...let us know when all that luck comes your way sweetie....in detail. That little butterfly is beautiful.

I've been lucky about spam on my blog....once in a while I'll get one. Thanks for the warning.

We don't seem to have any neighborhood get-togethers here...our neighborhood has changed a lot over the years. I don't think people even do that anymore. I miss those times.

Sylvia K said...

Love the butterfly! And how lovely to have him light on your arm! Definitely good luck! The pot luck sounds fun -- we have those here in our neighborhood from time to time, always lots of good food. Haven't had any trouble with spam etc. keep my fingers crossed though!

Enjoy the day!

Sylvia

Nell Jean said...

Beautiful picture. You were visited by a Red Spotted Purple, Limenitis arthemis astyanax, of the Admiral family. One visits my carport frequently.

These butterflies nectar more rarely on flowers, preferring carrion and dung, rotting fruit and tree sap. He was possibly sampling your arm for salt, or lotion residue. I've caught pics of them on a dog's dirty bed.

Click on my name to see the one on the gas grill last weekend.

They're not plentiful like swallowtails and sulphurs and Gulf Frits. I always wonder why they're so friendly, almost like a little messenger come to visit.

robin andrea said...

Stunning butterfly. Wow, what deep rich color.

srp said...

If you do a neighborhood cookbook.... I will buy one for my mom... she loves... LOVES... to read cookbooks.

Darlene said...

How on earth did you manage to hold still and take a photo at the same time? Great job and a great photo.

We used to have a neighborhood watch pot luck, but it was probably too much work for the ones who hosted it and with so many elders in the neighborhood there doesn't seem to be enough energy to tackle another one. It's a shame because everyone enjoyed it so much.

Betty said...

All the "followers" I get are the girls with big boobies. I always block them. All those perky boobs are beginning to give me a complex!

Grannymar said...

I never saw a butterfly that colour before. It is really beautiful. I hope it brought you all the luck in the world, you deserve it Judy!

Fran aka Redondowriter said...

And a blue butterfly at that. For sure it is an auspicious sign.

I've gotten some spam lately, but before I approve comments of people I don't know, I always check them out. The ones that bug me are when I drop them an e-mail and it bounces. With comment moderation, it happens rarely these days, however.

Peter said...

9 pounds of baked beans!

Probably good that it was a picnic an indoor event may have been risky.
The only new spam I've had lately is via a comment on an old post, I've deleted the comment but the same one turns up daily, I block them by having comment moderation on posts over 10 days old engaged.

Jamie Dawn said...

I hope that beautiful butterfly brings you LOTS of good luck!
I got a ton of spam on my blog recently. It took me a long time to delete the messages from my email. They were all in Chinese, and I did not click on any of them. Who knows what they were??!! I hate spam!!!
The pot luck sounds like it was great.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I've always LOVED Pot Luck Parties....Many Many years ago---like 33 or 34...I gave a Surprise Bithday Party for Betty and it was a Pot Luck....The GREAT Food that people brought was ANAZING! And, Memorable too, Obviously...lol.

How wonderful that this Picnic happens Judy...It must really be great to see everyone in a relaxed circumstance and much fun, too!

BTW: Did Mr. Kenju watch "TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME", too? Both "ON THE TOWN", and 'Ballgame' were on TCM--One right after the other..and of course Betty was in that one, too!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Oh, and the Butterfly....BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL!

annasprag said...

The neighborhood potluck was such fun, and successful thanks to all the folks who brought yummy dishes! There are plenty of issues that can keep us apart--this event gave everyone a chance to enjoy chatting on a beautiful late summer evening. Many thanks to your helping hands Judy. I hope that pretty butterfly brought you extra good luck for the week :)