Note: The Facebook page sited at the end of video is no longer active
Nature photographs from within our habitat.
(butterflyempress.com is my former site)
Gulf Shore Life Magazine - 2011. Click photo to see article.
Since June 2010, well over 1,300 Monarch, Queen and a variety of other butterflies and moths have been released from our habitat, and counting...
Certified and registered with Monarchwatch.org and the National Wildlife Federation, Michele nurtures and releases butterflies within her butterfly/wildlife habitat, as featured in Gulfshore Life Magazine. She has guest appeared on SW Florida’s Lee Pitts Live show and recognized in the Naples Daily News; both acknowledged for her environmentally-rooted endeavors.
~~~~~~~~
How my path with butterflies began...
In January of 2009, my dad/best friend, experienced a sudden brain bleed; languishing him with severe and multiple complications. After 4 months of not an ounce of progress, he communicated that he was "ready" to transition. I honored this and he passed-on in dignity within 3 days of me admitting him to Avow Hospice of Naples, FL. He was 5 months shy of 50. Under a year later, I realized that I'd not grieved and was in need of doing much needed 'letting go' in many areas of my life. Seeking comfort and inner peace regarding my father's transition, combined with my childhood love for butterflies and nature; I decided to create my own butterfly garden, nurturing and releasing Monarch and Queen butterflies. I loved it so much, I didn't stop. As some of the butterflies expired in various ways, I began to collect their beautiful wings. Recognizing the healing, comfort, wisdom and joy the butterflies and Nature experiences bring to me, I wanted to share this with others. This inspired me to begin designing and creating jewelry and much more, which also supports our habitats. Little did I know the passing of my dad would bring me through and to, all this.
About the Monarchs
As I did more research, I discovered that Monarch populations were in decline which furthered my inspiration and motivation. Butterflies are extremely sensitive to changes in their environments, especially pesticides and insecticides. Therefore butterfly gardens and habitats are like science labs, requiring proper ecological balance to thrive, flourish and sustain wildlife. The health of butterflies and other important insects and organisms that rely on suitable habitats to thrive and flourish, are reliable barometers about the health of the environments to which they are exposed. Our pollinators, the bee populations, have been on the decline for some time due to contaminated environments. However, butterflies, birds, moths and bats are pollinators, too. Supporting our wildlife that pollinates our food supply must not be viewed as an elective. We are reliant on these creatures as much as they are reliant on us to sustain healthy, nurturing and toxic-free environments for their continued survival and in-turn, ours. Toxic pest control not only harms us humans, but also harms and facilitates the diminishing of natural species’ that have as much a right to exist and be supported as we do. Butterfly gardens are toxic-free zones, which support and thus provide an exemplary ecological soundness to their environments.
I’m well aware of the magnitude at which toxic pest control is proliferated; and it is not my choice to become reactive of others’ choices. My focus is to proactively utilize my energies to tip the scales towards environmental equilibrium, one plant, butterfly and ‘garden-habitat’ at a time. No matter how insurmountable the feat may appear - I know there are many others that are doing the same.
Benefits to humanity
Butterfly gardens also have a positive affect on the inner human environment or landscape…body, mind and spirit. Therapeutic and healing affects are available. ‘Garden time’ is known to positively effect ones’ emotions, improve sense of overall health and well-being, balance our biological rhythms, tuning one to the rhythms of the earth (giving a sense of grounded-connectedness), lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and exposes one to the absorption of the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D.
Creating and maintaining a butterfly garden, whether personal or public, affords the opportunity to elevate environmental awareness, make the connection that all life is intrinsically interconnected, valuable and consciously reinforce this dynamic in our everyday life. What affects one, affects the whole. ~ >i< >i< >i<
The more internal balance humanity acquires, the more capable we become to make healthier choices that serve the greater whole of our external environments, as well. ~>i< >i< >i<
For more about Butterfly Gardening
A large portion of our sales goes back to sustaining and maintaining our butterfly/wildlife habitat.
Certified and registered with Monarchwatch.org and the National Wildlife Federation, Michele nurtures and releases butterflies within her butterfly/wildlife habitat, as featured in Gulfshore Life Magazine. She has guest appeared on SW Florida’s Lee Pitts Live show and recognized in the Naples Daily News; both acknowledged for her environmentally-rooted endeavors.
~~~~~~~~
How my path with butterflies began...
In January of 2009, my dad/best friend, experienced a sudden brain bleed; languishing him with severe and multiple complications. After 4 months of not an ounce of progress, he communicated that he was "ready" to transition. I honored this and he passed-on in dignity within 3 days of me admitting him to Avow Hospice of Naples, FL. He was 5 months shy of 50. Under a year later, I realized that I'd not grieved and was in need of doing much needed 'letting go' in many areas of my life. Seeking comfort and inner peace regarding my father's transition, combined with my childhood love for butterflies and nature; I decided to create my own butterfly garden, nurturing and releasing Monarch and Queen butterflies. I loved it so much, I didn't stop. As some of the butterflies expired in various ways, I began to collect their beautiful wings. Recognizing the healing, comfort, wisdom and joy the butterflies and Nature experiences bring to me, I wanted to share this with others. This inspired me to begin designing and creating jewelry and much more, which also supports our habitats. Little did I know the passing of my dad would bring me through and to, all this.
About the Monarchs
As I did more research, I discovered that Monarch populations were in decline which furthered my inspiration and motivation. Butterflies are extremely sensitive to changes in their environments, especially pesticides and insecticides. Therefore butterfly gardens and habitats are like science labs, requiring proper ecological balance to thrive, flourish and sustain wildlife. The health of butterflies and other important insects and organisms that rely on suitable habitats to thrive and flourish, are reliable barometers about the health of the environments to which they are exposed. Our pollinators, the bee populations, have been on the decline for some time due to contaminated environments. However, butterflies, birds, moths and bats are pollinators, too. Supporting our wildlife that pollinates our food supply must not be viewed as an elective. We are reliant on these creatures as much as they are reliant on us to sustain healthy, nurturing and toxic-free environments for their continued survival and in-turn, ours. Toxic pest control not only harms us humans, but also harms and facilitates the diminishing of natural species’ that have as much a right to exist and be supported as we do. Butterfly gardens are toxic-free zones, which support and thus provide an exemplary ecological soundness to their environments.
I’m well aware of the magnitude at which toxic pest control is proliferated; and it is not my choice to become reactive of others’ choices. My focus is to proactively utilize my energies to tip the scales towards environmental equilibrium, one plant, butterfly and ‘garden-habitat’ at a time. No matter how insurmountable the feat may appear - I know there are many others that are doing the same.
Benefits to humanity
Butterfly gardens also have a positive affect on the inner human environment or landscape…body, mind and spirit. Therapeutic and healing affects are available. ‘Garden time’ is known to positively effect ones’ emotions, improve sense of overall health and well-being, balance our biological rhythms, tuning one to the rhythms of the earth (giving a sense of grounded-connectedness), lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and exposes one to the absorption of the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D.
Creating and maintaining a butterfly garden, whether personal or public, affords the opportunity to elevate environmental awareness, make the connection that all life is intrinsically interconnected, valuable and consciously reinforce this dynamic in our everyday life. What affects one, affects the whole. ~ >i< >i< >i<
The more internal balance humanity acquires, the more capable we become to make healthier choices that serve the greater whole of our external environments, as well. ~>i< >i< >i<
For more about Butterfly Gardening
A large portion of our sales goes back to sustaining and maintaining our butterfly/wildlife habitat.