There we were at Roquefixade, showing our favourite walking destination off to two of our Harrogate friends, when a butterfly discovered me. Then another. These two creatures played round my wrist for more than half an hour before finally dancing off into the sunshine. They made our day.
He found Chris first……
… then abandoned her for my wrist.
Then there were two.
I’m thinking they’re the Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus). Any dissenters?
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
Sweet!
(Btw, I think I have the same watch strap 😉 )
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😉
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…..wonderful experience to feel their tiny paw on the skin, isn’t it Margaret ? AnnA
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Oh it is indeed, AnnA. Beautiful little tickle! xx
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Delightful! How can anything that beautiful be called “common”?
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Well, they certainly weren’t tricked out with ankle bracelets and skirts which nearly covered their bottoms.I think ‘common’ meant you couldn’t move without seeing them. I hope so…..
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Perhaps butterflies have a language (as the bees do) and you have been named “Butterfly Friend” so they come to greet you (yes, I was raised reading fairy tales and fantasy stories…).
Came across another link for butterflies in l’Ariege:
http://natureariege.over-blog.com/tag/Papillons/
The parent site is well worth exploring for all its coverages…
and its parent site is a wonder and joy:
http://www.photosariege.com/
In doing research on the Cathars (personal interest only, not professional) I would come across the expression ‘Les hauts lieux où souffle l’esprit’…I don’t think l’espirit has to necessarily be that of the Cathar beliefs…but also l’espirit of beauty, nature and above all, the unquantifiable experience one finds in Ariege…
One visit I was considering renting a gite in Marc the following year and took my friend and travelling companion up there to check it out…after falling in love with the hamlet, we went further up in the mountains and walked around…after what seemed like only a half hour or so we were suprised to find we were very hungry (and hadn’t brought food)…and even more suprised to find we’d spent almost four hours…but then, that has happened at other times in other areas in Ariege…(not so much in Aude although I love that department as well).
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The area round Marc is special, isn’t it? As is nearly everywhere round here. As to those butterflies – the same thing happened 2 days later, walking near Mont d’Olmes, when my wrist was once again encircled by butterflies: my unromantic friends said it was my blue watch strap they liked. Well, maybe. Thanks so much for those links: I’ve subscribed.
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