…Butterflies! That was Bracken’s favorite thing to see at the Elkton Community Education Center, when we visited during Fort Umpqua Days. There were so many fun things that day, but the butterfly pavilion was really something. Bracken and I have been to Butterfly World in Florida (here are pictures of the butterflies, and the plants and birds) and to the butterfly house at Reimen Gardens in Iowa, and ever since our friend told us about the butterflies in our very own state of Oregon, it’s been a must-see for us.

That day the butterfly pavilion in Elkton was filled with monarchs and painted lady butterflies (the kind we’ve hatched out at our house.) Mostly there were monarchs, so nearly all the pictures I took that day were of monarchs. Our friend taught us how to tell the difference between male and female monarchs. I loved that the pavilion had a mesh barrier, so it was just like being outside. There were flowers growing, and vases filled with flowers, along with orange slices for feeding the butterflies. That day when I asked Bracken what he thought of the butterfly pavilion, he said one word: “Unbelievable!” That pretty much sums up walking into a room full of butterflies!