Butterflies

What a splendid Saturday we have had today!  We started the day off with a visit to the creek.  We noticed that there were lots of beautiful butterflies around the farm and I was determined to get a picture of one.  We spent about an hour exploring the creek bank and then we spread out on a quilt and read the first chapter of Little House on the Prairie.  I wasn't sure if this would keep the kids attention, but it actually did and they remembered enough about it to recount the first chapter to Randy.  After a little lunch, we ventured back to the creek while Randy mowed.  This time, it was no holds barred, and the kids were totally muddy and wet in minutes.  Maddie noticed a furry animal on the edge of the creek, and thought it was a mouse.  The creature stepped into the water and began swimming in circles.  I believe it was a very young muskrat or beaver.  It was about 6 inches long and didn't seem to be at all scared of us.  We watched it swim in circles for quite a long time.  Unfortunately, I had left my camera at the house.
On the way back to the house, the kids wanted to visit our old buddy the oak tree stump (from the tornado).  We found a perfect, beautiful robin's egg.  There was no nest to be seen, and the egg was inside part of the log, like it had been placed there for us to find. 
After the kids showered, we decided to sit on the back deck for awhile.  The kids began playing on the tire swing when one of those gorgeous butterflies landed on me.  I called for Maddie to come and take a picture of it.  It stayed on my shirt for a few minutes, and then flew to Maddie.  She held it on her finger for some time before Mason came and scared it away. 
I am not sure if I just get excited about life's little things, or if we are blessed to experience amazing aspects of nature.  I told Josh later that none of those things would have meant much without the kids here to share it with.  Someday (as I have said before) I hope Mason and Maddison look back on our Saturday farm adventures and feel a tinge of regret that those days are over.  I love sharing times like today with them.  Deposits made into those memory banks are priceless!