a sadder butterfly

I was able to sketch this butterfly because it was not moving. Actually it was dead, damaged, with its color fading quickly. Most of the butterflies feeding on our lantana and other flowering shrubs move too quickly for sketching or even a blurred photo.

I’ve been slowly trimming the lantana back from the jungle it’s become around the pool. Hopefully this will encourage a new blooming — currently the only ones left with flowers are these in the sketch, growing in front of the barn.

Due to extreme heat and humidity, I only get a few plants trimmed each day that I’m at the new house. But eventually I’ll catch up . . .