stop of the day

magic wings

in south deerfield mass

(a stone's throw away from connecticut)

Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens, opened in October of 2000, consists of an 18,400-square foot facility that includes a 8,000-sq. ft. glass conservatory filled with butterflies, moths and tropical vegetation. We commemorated our new expansion in a Grand Opening ceremony June 26, 2004. The sun shines through the glass walls and heats up the conservatory to an 80-degree tropical-like environment all year round. The heart-shaped pond with Japanese koi graces the center of the conservatory. The sound of the waterfall, peaceful music and hundreds of butterflies fluttering freely through the air creates a tranquil and serene atmosphere. It has become a sought-after romantic place for weddings, for which we can provide a justice of the peace. Visits anytime throughout the year are delightful. It's truly amazing inside, for no matter how many people are enjoying the conservatory, it's still a peaceful sanctuary for all. Enter through the main entrance into our plant-filled atrium.

i thought of magic wings because of this article

Saving butterflies, and man's future, in French gardens

An unusual SOS that has gone out from French ecologists may not initially go down well with gardeners, who are being asked to leave weeds well alone.
But it's all in a good cause -- to save disappearing butterfly species.
Having set up the first butterfly 'refuges' in northwestern France in 2004, a Brittany-based association is now urging gardeners to do their bit for butterflies and biodiversity by not cutting back their brambles or nettles.
"We are asking people to leave several square metres of wild grass, brambles, nettles in their garden... which caterpillars love," Jeremy Allain, of the Vivarmor association behind the initiative said.............