The Butterfly Project DUE: June 30, 2011

I want to share something with my friends that would be a very rewarding and thoughtful charity activity for the entire family.

It's called the Butterfly Project and it's dedicated to the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. The goal is to collect 1.5 million handmade butterflies in remembrance of those innocent little souls.

The butterflies will eventually comprise a breath-taking exhibition, currently scheduled for Spring 2012, for all to remember.








As of Summer 2008, an estimated 400,000 butterflieshave already been collected.



THE BUTTERFLY by Pavel Friedman, June 4, 1942

The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone....

Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ’way up high.
It went away I’m sure
because it wished
to kiss the world good-bye.

For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.

That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here, in the ghetto.



Please facilitate the “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” activity and create as many handmade arts-and-crafts butterflies as possible. This project may be completed by all ages as individuals or groups.

Butterflies should be no larger than 8 inches by 10 inches. Butterflies may be of any medium the artist chooses, but two-dimensional submissions are preferred.

Glitter should not be used.

Food products (cereal, macaroni, candy, marshmallows or other perishables) also should not be used.

If possible, e-mail a photograph of your butterflies, to butterflyproject@hmh.org

Please send or bring your butterflies to the Museum by June 30, 2011, with the following information included:

Your name,
Your organization or school,
Your address,
Your e-mail address, and
The total number of butterflies sent.

Mail or bring your butterflies to:

Holocaust Museum Houston
Butterfly Project
Education Department
5401 Caroline St.
Houston, TX 77004
USA

For questions or additional information, please e-mail butterflyproject@hmh.org.

Chomp, chomp, Mr. Turtle!

Today when I took Gizzy outside, I saw Mr. Turtle at the side of the road munching on some grass. I don't know what kind of a turtle it is, but I have seen him before. My concern is that someone might run over him, either accidentally or on purpose.



I enjoy seeing wildlife and simply can't understand why some people just want to kill everything! I found a teeny tiny turtle the other day and took it down to the lake in the evening when I took Gizzy for his walk. I dropped him off in a grassy area near the lake, so that he could decide where he wanted to be. I know it could swim because I had it in a bowl with water before it was time to take Gizzy walking. You might say he was in a holding tank for a while - poor baby! He was so cute!

It looked like it wanted to rain all day, but it never did. I saw some more butterflies and could not resist taking photos.



One of my neighbors has these really attractive little peppers in her flower bed. They are the most decorative looking plants.



I don't dare touch them, because in my experience, the tiny peppers are some of the hottest.



Another butterfly picture. Pretty soon it will be too cold for them, so I enjoy them while I can.



I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.