06/26/2026
🦋 One of our guests spotted something incredible above the front door of The Hollow Cabin.
A few summers ago, one of our returning guests pointed out a monarch chrysalis above the front door of The Hollow Cabin while Ed was working at the property.
Later that day, I grabbed my camera.
Over the next few days, I was able to photograph the entire transformation - from a bright green chrysalis, to the moment you could see the butterfly through its transparent shell, to a newly emerged monarch waiting for its wings to dry in the cottage garden before taking its first flight.
Since this butterfly emerged in August and it seemed larger than other's we had been seeing, it may even have been part of the migratory "super generation" that would eventually make the incredible journey to Mexico.
Moments like these are one of the reasons we love this place so much. Between the pollinator gardens, hummingbirds, butterflies, nesting birds, and the surrounding Shawnee National Forest, there's always something happening if you slow down long enough to notice.
Sometimes the best memories aren't the ones you planned.
