Butterflies light here, light there, savoring this, tasting that.  Useppans do too, and on a sunny afternoon, butterflies and islanders met in the garden becoming a resting place for both.

Heavy-duty equipment and men in action, members of the Service Department arrived. Tall trees once majestically guarded the Sumwalt Museum eventually growing too big nefariously pushing roots underneath, sticking branches through the roof. They had to be cut down, but in the timeless spirit of Useppa, chunks and pieces were delivered to the Butterfly Garden. A stump is a now table and fat branches places to sit.

Working with Rachel from the Island Nursery, new plants were added to the ones already there. Another arbor is coming. What Colleen and Craig Ligibell started is becoming an institution. Judith Sear and Karen Kaufman are its stewards. Useppans donate their time and money as well, but none of it could happen without the generous contributions of time, plants, and knowledge from the Service Department.

A garden party seemed just the right way to celebrate this collaboration, and when most of the people were gone, a small white butterfly just for a moment, settled on a new flowering plant.

Photos and Story by UseppaGin