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, discover


- The evolutionary similarities between insects and humans
- Ripple effects on nature and evolution
- Parallels in life as we cope with a global pandemic and transformation
- The preciousness of every moment
- True connection and intimacy among living creatures

During 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.