"You see, it's winter now where I live, and the gentle dusting of our very first snow has just fallen. My recent blooming flowers, now all neatly pruned and manicured after a summer of delightfully pleasing me, are ready for a long winter's nap. My roses, peonies, "

", delphinium, hollyhocks, daphne, phlox, azaleas, rhododendrons, wisteria, pansies, Sweet Williams, and still blooming burgundy chrysanthemums now seem content to have this white furry blanket covering their heads. Soon, very soon, they will all be buried even deeper, as Old Man Winter's snow can often reach depths of two to four feet here in Eastern Washington."

"With the onset of winter, there isn't much happening in my garden these days. The hummers and "flying flowers" have found their way to their usual winter migration haunts. My gardening tools are safely stowed until spring; while the snow shovel now sits at attention, ready to clear a path to the bird feeders on the backyard fence. My stack of seed catalogs is growing daily beside my favorite chair, awaiting my further perusal. I've already marked some of my favorites, but am waiting to make any final choices until after the Holiday Season."

"And now, I have been stricken with "winter wanderlust!" So, to satisfy this nagging urge, I've decided to go on a tour!"

"So, why don't you join me? It's free! Together, we will tour some almost fairytale places. Places where your dreams--and mine--of getting up close and personal with hundreds of butterflies just might come true!"

"I would love to be your virtual tour guide. So whenever you're ready, just follow me and the tour will begin. Be sure to bring your camera, lots of extra film, your binoculars, and a small notebook for taking notes. There will be lots of invaluable information along the way for those of you who want to start or expand your existing butterfly garden."

"One of the best places I know of to start our fabulous tour is in sunny Florida. It won't take us long to get there. In fact, we're almost there already! What a great way to travel, and we didn't even have to fight the traffic or wait at the airport! Amazing, isn't it?"

"Now that we've arrived in Florida, let's begin our virtual tour by visiting exotic "

"For those of you who don't happen to be going with us on this virtual tour, you can find Butterfly World located at 3600 W. Sample Road, in Coconut Creek, Florida. The butterfly house is located just inside beautiful Tradewinds Park, about ten miles north of Ft. Lauderdale."

"This National Wildlife Federation book provides over a dozen step-by-step projects for families to do together, making getting back to nature easy, educational, and fun."

"Let's get on with our virtual tour. I can't wait to show you this place!"

". These lush tropical gardens are widely acclaimed, and contain an abundance of nectar-rich tropical flowers in full bloom that butterflies simply adore."

"First, we will enter the "Secret Garden" beneath a breathtaking canopy, with its world-renown array of Passion Vines in full bloom. Here, you will also see exotic Dutchman's Pipe blossoms near a wishing fountain. Go ahead and toss in a penny for good luck! You will be enthralled as you gaze at the beautiful lavender blossoms hanging from the magnificent Sky Vines. And, lest we forget why we came, just look at all those "flying flowers" feeding on the hundreds of blooms above that canopy! Truly, this is a magical Secret Garden."

"Next, we will make our way into the "Tropical Rain Forest." Here, thousands of some of the world's most exotic live butterflies are flitting from one fragrant blossom to another. Butterfly World has created a wonderful natural habitat for these magical jewels. There is also an outstanding hummingbird aviary nearby, aptly called "Jewels of the Sky." This too is a magical place, filled with still more exotic
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