Releasing Butterflies


Book Description

Robert Darden has just received the surprise of his life. As soon as the delivery room nurse announces he is the father of not one, but two babies, Robert can hardly believe his ears. As Robert and his second wife, Joy, and her two children, Shep and Shay, welcome the twins, Sarah and Sam, into the world, they have no idea of what awaits them in the future. When Joys doctor finds cancer during her post-birth visit, the Darden familys world is suddenly turned upside down. With four children, a new husband, and a new house, Joy is shaken to the core by the news. Determined to fight her terminal diagnosis, Joy has surgery and is thrilled when the doctors eventually tell her she is cancer-free. As the twins grow up, Robert becomes immersed in the darkness of alcoholism and begins abusing Joy and his children. As all become adversely affected by Roberts behavior, Joy finds refuge in Bible study classes and Shep embarks on a rebellious path. But when tragedy strikes the family repeatedly, grief replaces hopeuntil God shows all of them that He is a God of second chances and new dreams. Releasing Butterflies shares the tale of an ordinary familys journey in grief as they learn to trust Gods plan for each of them.




Butterfly Stitches


Book Description

Beautify with butterflies! Appliqué and embroidery designs for nature lovers Let your creativity take flight with a rainbow of embroidered butterflies! Internationally recognized teacher Catherine Redford shares her passion for embroidery and embellished wool appliqué. Embroidery, appliqué, or a combination of both? The choice is yours, as you customize 12 designs for 36 unique looks! With delicate details, these winged beauties will inspire you to start your next sampler quilt, pillow, or small project. With an overview of materials, basic stitches, and a robust gallery of ideas, you'll be ready to unwind and enjoy the soothing practice of hand stitching! Embroider and appliqué butterflies with renowned teacher Catherine Redford Inspiring projects! A gallery of electrifying ideas to ignite your creativity Relax with pretty, portable hand-stitching projects and meditative stitches




Releasing the Butterfly


Book Description

Releasing the Butterfly is a love story that follows the decades-long relationship of a couple who met as teenagers by happenstance at a jail in the Texas Panhandle. These descendants of blue-collar parents, raised in a tradition steeped in education and faith, became friends through a shared love of literature, theater, film, and music. Having come of age in the 1950s, they would have to negotiate the terms of their relationship to ensure a wholly equal partnership. They would learn how to navigate a life together, find fulfillment, and, ultimately, confront a heartbreaking challenge that threatened to upend their happiness and their own self-identities.Any proceeds from this little book will go to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary's program in sacred music.




The Last Butterflies


Book Description

A remarkable look at the rarest butterflies, how global changes threaten their existence, and how we can bring them back from near-extinction Most of us have heard of such popular butterflies as the Monarch or Painted Lady. But what about the Fender’s Blue? Or the St. Francis’ Satyr? Because of their extreme rarity, these butterflies are not well-known, yet they are remarkable species with important lessons to teach us. The Last Butterflies spotlights the rarest of these creatures—some numbering no more than what can be held in one hand. Drawing from his own first-hand experiences, Nick Haddad explores the challenges of tracking these vanishing butterflies, why they are disappearing, and why they are worth saving. He also provides startling insights into the effects of human activity and environmental change on the planet’s biodiversity. Weaving a vivid and personal narrative with ideas from ecology and conservation, Haddad illustrates the race against time to reverse the decline of six butterfly species. Many scientists mistakenly assume we fully understand butterflies’ natural histories. Yet, as with the Large Blue in England, we too often know too little and the conservation consequences are dire. Haddad argues that a hands-off approach is not effective and that in many instances, like for the Fender’s Blue and Bay Checkerspot, active and aggressive management is necessary. With deliberate conservation, rare butterflies can coexist with people, inhabit urban fringes, and, in the case of the St. Francis’ Satyr, even reside on bomb ranges and military land. Haddad shows that through the efforts to protect and restore butterflies, we might learn how to successfully confront conservation issues for all animals and plants. A moving account of extinction, recovery, and hope, The Last Butterflies demonstrates the great value of these beautiful insects to science, conservation, and people.




Spirit of Butterflies


Book Description

A vividly illustrated celebration of butterflies that discusses their presence in art and culture throughout the ages and examines their symbolism and the related beliefs of a wide variety of peoples.




HowExpert Guide to Butterflies


Book Description

HowExpert Guide to Butterflies is a guidebook that is packed with a vast amount of information about butterflies. In this guidebook you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies. It has more about butterflies than any encyclopedia and it reads much easier. Some of the topics of this guidebook are as follows: • The differences between male and female butterflies as well as how they mate • The first half, the second half, and how the butterfly completes its life cycle • How they survive in nature with so many predators • How butterflies benefit the ecosystem and you • Why are butterflies disappearing? • What species migrate other than monarchs • What species are threatened, endangered, or extinct and some who came back • Several ways you can help save the butterflies • Where you can go to see thousands of butterflies • A list of common butterflies from A to Z along with photos • An extensive list of butterfly resources with links to websites The book ends with About the Author that is about how butterflies inspired and motivated Jessica to follow her dreams with an amusing story about her first sighting of butterflies that were mating. About the Expert Jessica Dumas is freelance writer and a butterfly advocate who has been writing books and poems for 10 years. She lives in a small mountain town in Arizona but is originally from Minnesota where she grew up in the country where her love for butterflies began. She wanted to be able to fly like a butterfly which led to her dream of becoming a pilot. Years later she met a flight instructor who taught her how to fly and then married her. Butterflies inspired other dreams too that she tells about in her latest book that is a guidebook on butterflies. HowExpert publishes quick ‘how to’ guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.




Bicycling with Butterflies


Book Description

“What a wonderful idea for an adventure! Absolutely inspired, timely, and important.” —Alistair Humphreys, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and author of The Doorstep Mile and Around the World by Bike Outdoor educator and field researcher Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle along­side monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration—a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts. Her panniers were recycled buckets. In Bicycling with Butterflies, Dykman recounts her incredible journey and the dramatic ups and downs of the nearly nine-month odyssey. We’re beside her as she nav­igates unmapped roads in foreign countries, checks roadside milkweed for monarch eggs, and shares her passion with eager schoolchil­dren, skeptical bar patrons, and unimpressed border officials. We also meet some of the ardent monarch stewards who supported her efforts, from citizen scientists and research­ers to farmers and high-rise city dwellers. With both humor and humility, Dykman offers a compelling story, confirming the urgency of saving the threatened monarch migration—and the other threatened systems of nature that affect the survival of us all.




Release the Butterfly


Book Description

Release The Butterfly is a fast-paced, geo-political, science-based, military thriller drawn from real life in a piece of literary work author Richard Rose has dubbed 'Science Faction.' In his debut novel, the veteran journalist channels H.G Wells and Tom Clancy to tell the story that appears ripped from the headlines. America has just elected its first woman president, independent candidate Lydia Cortez-Simpson. The daughter of a conservative Texas cattleman and his 'illegal' mexican domestic, Cortez-Simpson's vicious political campaign toughens her for the fight of her life against an out-of-control military dictator who has seized control of China and launched a pre-emptive invasion of Taiwan. 'General X' is a misguided, philosophically minded 'patriot' determined to restore China's past glory. Ruthless to the core, General X 'demonstrates' China's nuclear prowess in horrifying fashion and President Cortez-Simpson quickly finds herself in an eyeball-to-eyeball nuclear confrontation. Worse yet, General X has schemed with the disillusioned chief scientist of the Geneva Institute to obtain a fearsome new weapon borne from the world's most powerful particle collider. President Cortez-Simpson turns to Parker James, a spy who can beat you with both his fists and his brains. In a race against time, James teams up with brilliant Taiwanese-American scientist, Doctor Lillian Tong, to thwart Doctor Z's plans to place this planet-killing weapon in General X's hands. In the end, nature itself provides a surprising, decisive twist as the reader is taken on a journey into cutting-edge science and military hardware. Dark matter energy is discovered even as time itself is 'unraveled' in a world where DNA satellite trackers can find terrorists anywhere in the world by just their DNA, essentially ending the war on terror but only beginning the possibilities for humankind to discover new ways to destroy life as we know it.




Box of Butterflies


Book Description

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ​Roma Downey—best known as the beloved angel on the TV show Touched by an Angel—“has created a beautiful and personal testimony to the presence of God in our lives and our world” (Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles). Ever since she was a little girl, Roma has seen butterflies as a reminder of God’s presence. They have appeared to her in moments when she needed encouragement, reminding her that she is not alone. In this deeply personal book, Roma shares stories from her life, alongside quotes, poems, scripture, and artwork that she prays will uplift you as they have her. Reminiscent of the message of her popular television series, Touched by an Angel, this book’s central theme is that there is a God, He loves you, and that even in your most difficult moments, He is by your side. The subtle butterfly theme reminds us that the wonder of God’s love and kindness is sometimes reflected in the gentle whispers of His creation and that we all have the power to transform from simple caterpillars into exquisite butterflies. This inspirational book invites you to return to its pages again and again, as life brings new challenges, or you find yourself in need of new inspiration. Box of Butterflies “will touch you and move you and strengthen you” (Kathie Lee Gifford).




A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America


Book Description

A thoroughly revised edition of the most comprehensive and authoritative photographic field guide to North American butterflies This is a revised second edition of the most detailed, comprehensive, and user-friendly photographic field guide to the butterflies of North America. Written by Jeffrey Glassberg, the pioneering authority on the field identification of butterflies, the guide covers all known species, beautifully illustrating them with 3,500 large, gorgeous color photographs—the very best images available. This second edition includes more than 500 new photos and updated text, maps, and species names. For most species, there are photographs of topsides and undersides, males and females, and variants. All text is embedded in the photographs, allowing swift access in the field, and arrows point to field marks, showing you exactly what to look for. Detailed, same-page range maps include information about the number of broods in each area and where strays have been recorded. Color text boxes highlight information about habitat, caterpillar food plants, abundance and flight period, and other interesting facts. Also included are a quick visual index and a caterpillar food plant index. The result is an ideal field guide that will enable you to identify almost every butterfly you see. A revised second edition of the most comprehensive photographic field guide to North American butterflies, featuring more than 500 new photos and updated text, maps, and species names Written by the pioneering authority on the field identification of butterflies Beautifully illustrated with 3,500 color photographs that show all known species, including views of topsides and undersides, males and females, and variants for most species Authoritative text embedded in the photographs for swift access Detailed range maps Color text boxes that highlight information about habitat, food plants, abundance and flight period, and other interesting facts An invaluable tool for field identification