Chasing butterflies

Life in a forest area is not so bad after all. No doubt you are away from the hustle and bustle of the fast city life one is used to, you find yourself getting enchanted by the birds, bees and butterflies who are busy fluttering their wings in the woods from morn till evening. Daytime cocks crow and the swans parade by in a row with their chest raised proudly towards the nearby lake where the white water lilies are in full bloom. Evening time they parade back home gracefully happy and contented. When the sun sets and the forest becomes dark, it is then the turn of the fireflies to glow and dance. Totally an enchanting experience. Now, a very sweet village girl of about 12 years has become my friend and guide in this forest land. She is the one who told me about the Neejara(waterfall) deep in the forest and I decided to hike along with her one morning to have a look at the waterfall which she is so eager to show me. It was a lovely walk along the path amidst tall teak trees and big aged Calliandra(Fairy duster) trees all in bloom. Wild flowers and weeds covering the ground and their flowers providing nectar to the butterflies and bees visiting them. We walked on but stopped frequently to click pictures of the fluttering  butterflies. They seemed as if they are nymphets dancing in the enchanted forest while the fairies are there sitting on their Powderpuff trees dusting the sky overhead. I could not help but chase the butterflies  and try clicking their picture. Managed to get a few shots which I am sharing below. Now, about the waterfall,  it turned out to be one as cute and beautiful as Niku herself. Lo! it is a fall of barely 2 ft. I smiled to myself and thanked her for showing me her treasured spot. We spend some time there and then returned chasing butterflies all the way back. A day to remember for both of us. I started addressing Niku as Neejara and now she is Neejara to everyone.

A few pictures of the butterflies we chased are posted below. Hope you like them.

Butterflies,bees, dragonflies and fireflies; Lakes and ponds and streams and waterfalls; Lotus and lilies, ducks and swans; Mynahs and Egrets, cattles and lambs; Weeds and reeds and teaks and fairy dusters ....only thing missing is the Unicorn. An enchanted forest I am in right now. 

"Life can be beautiful in any place. Only thing is  you got to find and feel it's beauty in the simplest of things."  - Diana Raj Kumari.

*************************************************************************************************