Butterfly Trails & Sugar Cookies

One of the treasures of living in the Appalachians is living along the migration path of the Monarch Butterflies.  Monarchs are not able to withstand the cold winters of most of the United States so they migrate south and west each year to Mexico and Southern California.

Some of the eastern migration travels along the spine of the Appalachians from Virginia to Georgia from the middle of September and continues on for a few weeks.  If you live around Asheville the best place to see these creatures in their travels is Wagon Road Gap which is close to the Inn @ Mt. Pisgah.  For a map of the area click here, Mt. Pisgah is located at the bottom of the map.  It is the opportune time to get the Monarch Mumbles and talk about this cool event to your kids, share with neighbors, or talk about around the water cooler at work! 

A friend of mine was able to capture photographs of Monarch's on her butterfly bush at home in Candler, NC.

I saw this idea for Butterfly Cookies at the craft store and thought it would be the perfect celebratory creation for kids.  It would be ideal for a fun and budget friendly gift.

Make a Butterfly Cookies Gift Bag!
Supplies you need:

• Sugar Cookie Mix
• Colored Sugar Crystals (any other lovely decorative ideas you might would like to pitch in)
• Cookie Cutter
• Bag
• Simple Direction List (tells the lucky recipient what the bag and its ingredients is all about)
• Flower & Ribbon (to decorate bag with)
  

As an example, this is the Butterfly Cookies Gift Bag that I put together. :)

Have fun!!