A Monarch in Winter
Biography of a Butterfly

Compelled by deep instinct and the curious mind of a retired nurse, scientist, midwife, and nascent naturalist, the author retrieves a too-late-to-migrate monarch caterpillar from a December ice storm. She decides to learn all she can to care for the butterfly that soon emerges in her home while the second winter of COVID-19 rages outdoors. Each day of its longer-than-expected life brings new observations, challenges, and rewards, which the author shares with the reader as journal entries.-How are butterflies and newborns alike?-How and what will he eat? How often?-Does he sleep? Where will he decide to roost?-How long will he live?There are bigger questions, too. What does it mean to age? How do we care for our aging? When do we stop? What can foster a peaceful death? Read to discover fascinating details with easy-to-understand science.In A Monarch in Winter: Biography of a Butterfly, discoverThe evolutionary similarities between insects and humansRipple effects on nature and evolutionParallels in life as we cope with a global pandemic and transformationThe preciousness of every momentTrue connection and intimacy among living creaturesDuring these few months of semi-isolation in the second winter of COVID-19, the author creates a new routine, a new purpose, and a new relationship with nature through caring for the small creature in her care. Read this fascinating narrative and witness the butterfly effect on one woman’s life.