Brick and Moth

A Dot-Lined White Moth on the brick facade of my office. 

The Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory

I had never heard of this place until I was in The Keys but I'm so glad I found it! It was absolutely breathtaking! 

Hello

My family recently took up the hobby of raising butterflies. When I came home a few of them had begun to emerge from their chrysalis. The tent was placed outside to get them acclimated but ants began to swarm into the netting. Once we realized what was happening my mother and I worked frantically to brush the ants away. I was able to get this shot of one of the survivors we were able to save before they flew away. 

Looking Inward

A lovely southern pink-striped oakworm moth watching me set up for work early one morning. 

Bok Tower

Bok Tower was a place I had visited years ago and fallen in love with. It had slipped to the back of my mind until my best friend Matt met me there for a spontaneous trip.

Brazil 2016

Some of my favorite pictures from my second trip to Brazil. 

Large moth on the hotel window. 

High tide at the beach access. 

Lovely flower blooming after the rain. 

Boys skimboarding at the shoreline. 

Another boy further down the beach was riding his bike into the surf. 

An adorable stray dog napping on the beach. 

The Recife skyline just after sunset.

Red Moths

I was walking through Baldwin Park and I came across two beautifully vibrant Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moths. They huddled together head to head on a window screen. Perfectly folded together in the morning light. 

Moth

When I first saw the moth it looked like a leaf being tussled by the breeze until I realized that all the other leafs in the parking lot were lying motionless. I got closer and realized that it was actually a Polyphemus Moth, and hands down the largest moth I had ever seen in my life. From the base of the wing to the top she was about six inches tall. She was moving in circles and it appeared that she was missing part of one of her legs. I took this lovely shot of her patterned wings in the morning sunlight before relocating her to some nearby bushes. 

Brazil

Growing up I was hooked on National Geographic Magazines and travel books. The world was so big and I have only seen such a small part of it. I've got so many places I've been longing to see in person. To know them intimately rather than just wishing I could be there. 

I've worked consistently since I was 17, much of that time I was going to school and working, or working two jobs. At the age of 31 I finally had a job that was not only challenging, but it also gave me the opportunity to sustain myself. When I was given vacation time I knew there was only one thing to do. I was going to travel. 

I went to my boyfriend's hometown of Recife, Brazil. 

The first breathtaking view of South America. 

My first taste of Brazilian food: an adorable little mocha and a coxinha. Coxinhas are popular Brazilian snacks filled with meat and cheese shaped into a breaded cone. 

William overlooking Recife from the top of our hotel. 

The rooftop pool with a view of the beach. 

The city of Recife gets its name from the rocky remnants of a reef that runs parallel to the beach a few feet past were the ocean meets the shore. At low tide you can easily walk along the reef. 

Recife at dusk. 

Modern voodoo. 

One day William took me to see Old Downtown Recife and its stunning European architecture. 

Marco Zero - this spot in the downtown area marks the place where the Portuguese founded Recife in 1537. It overlooks the Parque das Esculturas, a monumental sculpture park created by Brazilian artist Francisco Brennand. 

William and I decided to take a boat ride over to the sculpture park to see it up close. When we arrived on the other side I spotted this adorable little cat sleeping by the boat ramp. 

The sunset over Old Downtown Recife. 

Rocks tagged with graffiti. 

The sculpture park sits on a narrow strip of land between the ocean and the harbor. I loved the contrast between the rough ocean waves and the still waters of the old harbor. 

The lovely evening sky on our boat ride back to the old downtown area. 

The night life of the downtown area. 

A dance party of mixed ages in full swing. 

Graffiti hidden on the sides of the old european architecture. 

View of the city skyline from a grocery store window. 

Vibrant flowers blooming in Jaqueira Park. 

Sunset over the Capibaribe River. 

Boa Viagem church during the evening open market. 

Sunrise at Boa Viagem Beach.