Stormy this evening in Missouri...

A Kaleidoscope of Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) surround newly blossomed milk weed flowers. These are all males. They get together and hang out on beautiful days like this in Excelsior Springs Missouri #Nature #Butterflies #Sanity

When Butterflies emerge, they don't grow. Being a butterfly is the last stage in their growth and is their adulthood. It doesn't mean they always act like adults. :) #Butterfly #Nature #Sanity

A Silver Spotted Skipper - Epargyreus clarus I saw today on Williams Creek in Excelsior Springs (NW) Missouri. These long winged butterflies are nearly always seen in this posture, wings up. During mating they will open them at what is a risk. #Butterfly #Nature #Sanity

The Viceroy Butterfly - Limenitis archippus Fishing River I saw her this afternoon in the willow row... I showed up, sat still and waited. Soon, she and a companion did a fly by. wait. Finally, she came to this willow you see her perched there. I left without spooking. #Butterfly #Nature #Sanity

Peonies are blossoming now.... #Nature #Sanity

American Snout butterfly - Libytheana carinenta This brush footed butterfly is so ancient it's in the fossil record. They frequent stream edges and have both a leaf appearance and a colorful streak depending on their audience. Excelsior Springs Missouri #Butterfly #Nature #Sanity

Trilobite - Bolaspidela housensis I found this fossil in Utah last week. It is about 400 million years old from the Cambrian period prior to the rise of the dinosaurs. These were one of the most successful species to ever live. #trilobite #cambrian #fossil

Happy Mothers Day...

This Juvenal's Duskywing Butterfly (Gesta Juvenales) found me today along banks of Fishing River, NW Missouri. Once they become aware of your presence, they will share the space at a distance. Readjusting to you as you move. If they fly into a shadow, they disappear. #Butterfly #Nature #Sanity

Thousands of people in the street today in Kansas City for Hands OFF Rally opposing Trump administration policies. Young, old and in-between people from all walks of life ignored the chill and turned out to have their voices heard and defend our democracy from. photos.app.goo.gl/8x6TY2rMYpcH...

Springtime on the little lake... Crystal Lakes Missouri #Landscape #Nature #Sanity

Sunset in Excelsior Springs Missouri... #Sunset #Nature #Sanity

Downtown Excelsior Springs Missouri on this beautiful spring day of March 29th, 2025 #SanityCity

Just a little green like the color when the spring is born... Excelsior Springs Missouri #Landscape #Nature #Sanity

An Orange Sulfur -Colias eurytheme samples a new flower on the water at Crystal Lakes Missouri. #Nature #Butterfly #Sanity

Photos Protest in Kansas City Missouri March 12. Indivisible at Senator Josh Hawley's office protesting Trump/Musx/GOP policies. photos.google.com/share/AF1Qip...

Only 6 days to spring! This is one of the early butterfly in spring. Mourning Cloak- Nymphalis antiopa These large beautiful butterflies may winter over beneath bark and emerge early. These warm days would lend themselves to that happening now. I shot this last spring. Excelsior Springs Mo. #Nature

Ring Billed Gulls fishing off the dam at Crystal Lakes Missouri... #Birds #Nature #Sanity

Just about a mile south of here, sanity starts popping up everywhere. A bird, a tree, an old barn, something more important outside than the anxiety within. Clay County Missouri #Nature #Lanscape #Sanity

I saw this guy purusing an open field today. The nearby lake is still slightly frozen. Excelsior Springs Missouri #Birds #Nature #Sanity

Winter window mostly down... Excelsior Springs Missouri #Landscape #Sunset #Sanity

February's Winter Sunlight Clay County Missouri #Landscape #Nature #Sanity

Bronze Copper Butterfly - Lycaena hyllus in Excelsior Springs Missouri #Nature #Sanity

February day on Fishing River in Ray County Missouri... #Nature #Landscape #Sanity

The Color of February from my ride around Crystal Lakes (NW) Missouri yesterday. #Nature #Landscape #Sanity

Sometimes the February sun changes it all and me... #Nature #Sanity #Missouri #Landscape

"Maybe when our story's over We'll go where it's always spring The band is playing our song again And all the world is green" -Tom Waits

Just got caught eating the neighbors lawn... Ray County Missouri #Cows #Nature

Sunday afternoon Fishing River Excelsior Springs Missouri #Sanity

A winter day in Prathersville Missouri... #Country #Landscape #Missouri

This...

Day breaks out my window Sun's up sky is blue But I wonder where you are and you haven't got a clue that I'm missing you... #Birds #Nature #Heron #Sanity

Be of good cheer! Only 56 days until Spring Clay County Missouri #Horses #Nature #Sanity

Snowy bridge over Fishing River in Excelsior Springs Missouri... This is down the street from the house where I grew up. When I was a kid, we'd throw a big rock from the bridge to the iced over stream to see if it was frozen enough to walk on. #Winter #Landscape #Memories

A kaleidoscope of Eastern Tailed Blue Butterflies (Cupido comyntas) gather on a mossy rock in the riverbed to feed and socialize. Excelsior Springs Missouri #Butterfly #Nature #Sanity

Silo on "Y" Hwy in Excelsior Springs Missouri #Snow #Landscape #CountryLiving

Of where we've been of where we begin we'll all take the same path in the end

The sun felt warm as it was setting until I stepped waist high into the ditch the snow disappeared along the fence. Excelsior Springs (NW)Missouri #Winter #Sunset #Snow

After the snow in Excelsior Springs (NW) Missouri #Landscape #Nature #Winter

Robber or Assassin Fly - Asilidae These robust and aggressive insects make prey of about any insect they want. Including other predatory insects such as dragonfly and spiders. They stab the victim with their proboscis and then suck out their insides. Of course. :) NW Missouri #Nature #Insects

Forlorn but not forsaken... Crystal Lakes Missouri #Landscape #Winter #Nature

After the roads are cleared ... Clay County (NW) Missouri #Landscape #Snow

Junipers dancing in the snow... NW Missouri Excelsior Springs #Snow #Blizzard #Nature

Everything is ok in the world, the chaos is in our realm... Fishing River Clay County Missouri #Nature #Landscape

Between #Landscape #Nature NW Missouri

Common Checker Spot Skipper - Burnsius cominus These small butterfly/skipper are rigid flyers and their wings flap quickly. I am nearly certain that I caught this one in process of mating or staging because it allowed me to get so close and was holding open winged. NW Missouri #Butterfly #Nature

Flying down a country road in Clay County (NW) Missouri... #Birds #Nature #Landscape

Painted Lady Butterfly _ Vanessa cardui These are the most widespread and successful butterfly on the planet. They live up to a year and enjoy many host plants. The true cosmopolitan they occupy every landmass but Antarctica. Excelsior Springs (NW) Missouri #Butterfly #Nature #Photography

Pipevine Swallowtail - Battus philenor This is one of the most striking species in our area. These guys extract a toxin from pipevine that protects them and their larvae from predators. They have a distinctively hairy body. This one I photoed in Excelsior Springs Missouri. #Butterflies #Nature