Category: Home and Garden

Thank you with all my heart to everyone who attended my film premiere last night. I feel so very blessed to have had my beautiful community of friends and family there, and by attending, you all made the event a great success and sellout!!! What a whirlwind, and it went by all much, much too fast. I hope I didn’t miss saying thank you to anyone last night.

With love and gratitude to my wonderful team. I could not have done it without you!

Tom Hauck ~ Although I began shooting my film “script-less,” I did, through the course of filming, write the story. I know I can always go to Tom for editing assistance, commentary, and proofreading and find his advice and knowledge of the written word invaluable. Life Story of the Black Swallowtail stems from a profound desire to communicate about the natural world found in our own backyards and that can only be achieved when rooted in a beautiful story.

Liv and Kathleen ~ From the moment I asked Kathleen and Liv to help with the music for my film they were there, giving 100 percent of themselves. Thank you Liv for sharing your beautiful voice and Kathleen for your beautiful organ playing. Thank you both especially for the improvisations, which so gorgeously melded with scenes of the butterfly during metamorphosis. And thank you Liv for simply being the best and most supportive and loving daughter a mom a could ever dream of and hope for.

Craig Kimberley ~ To my friend Craig for his editing assistance, and especially for his stunning key frames (the swan in flight!), help with title design, and overall advice on the film as a whole. And special thanks to Hannah for sharing Craig on his days off!

Joey ~ My friend Joey for his tireless support of everything great and good about Gloucester, for the weeklong “sticky,” and for writing, “Butterflies FTW!” I love being part of his GMG team, for more reasons than I can count.

Andrew Love ~ Thanks and appreciation to Andrew, who really saved the day in the eleventh hour, despite the fact that he was in the midst of leaving Cape Ann TV and beginning his new job at Newburyport’s cable channel PortMedia!

Lisa Smith, Cape Ann TV Producer ~ To Lisa for her continued advice, support, and friendship, and assistance, too, in the eleventh hour (and for the wonderful bottle of champagne last night!).

Rob Newton ~ Thank you Rob for inviting me to have my premiere at your very special venue—and didn’t that gentleman fall off his seat at just the right moment! Link to CACC Indie Gogo fundraiser so Rob can continue to support up and coming filmmakers like myself.

Fred Bodin ~ For hosting, once again, a wonderful party at Bodin Historic Photo Gallery. Fred just has the magic touch—his gallery is always warm and welcoming and everyone always feels entirely at ease and has a fabulous time at his parties. Special thanks to John McElhenny for staying late and helping clean up.

Felicia, Pat, and Barry ~ Despite the fact that Felicia is in the final stages of writing her cookbook and preparing for her Kickstarter launch she, Barry, and Pat provided the wonderful array of food served at Fred’s last night.

JoeAnn Hart and Gordon for sharing their breathtakingly beautiful great drift of asters (mecca to the pollinators), of which we will see much more of in my Monarch film!

Donna and Rick and Ann and Bob Kennedy ~ Thank you for the beautiful flowers. I am very touched by your thoughtfulness. Ann, the flowers were you in absentia!

And special thanks to Kate at Wolf Hill for providing our “special guest star” Black Swallowtail caterpillar for the premiere. This is the second time a caterpillar has been found on a parsley plant at Wolf Hill and that Kate has offered it to me to raise.

Update on the caterpillar: Last night Kate’s caterpillar spun its silk girdle and it is going to pupate at any moment!

Again, my thanks and love to you all! And the butterflies thank you, too!!!

Photo of  Newly Emerged Wolf Hill Butterfly from this Past Spring