This gracious and generous lady said she drew in a breath when she was told how much the biosphere would cost but in a blink she composed herself and said, "Of course! That's a splendid idea!"
We opened our envelopes and released our little, beautiful creatures, thinking how crazy an idea it seemed for tropical Utah.
Complete with colorful butterflies and exotic flowers and things to play on and climb outside the habitat, the new biosphere is a wonder.
Little kids can romp and run, jump, slide and play with abandon.
Meanwhile the butterflies are inside a sort of rainforest enclosure that protects and houses them while the temperature is 30 degrees outside with snow on the ground.
There are blue ones and black ones and some with translucent wings, some with stripes and owl-like eyes.
Guests are encouraged to stand still and look all around to find them, hanging on branches, tucked in among the leaves,
(Outside the habitat, in glass cages and display cases that thankfully are escape-proof, there are 20 kinds of tarantulas, walking sticks, cockroaches (truly lovely), horned beetles and all kinds of creepy crawlies that you want to think about as you try to fall asleep.)
It's quite an ingenious place with plenty to look at.
It was crowded on Saturday but even then, the crowds are coming for various times so it's not overwhelming.
A lot of the butterflies are hiding out up high and sometimes you fear for the ones little kids can reach.
However, there's a new release of 100 butterflies a day and the nursery is full of cocoons with butterflies coming along.
The people in charge have thought about the hazards and worked it out so there are rewards throughout.
It's a nice blend of nature and humanity.
To get there, travel to Thanksgiving Point toward the Water Tower Plaza. The biosphere is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a entry appointments and costs $20 for adults, $15 for children and seniors.
The website is: ThanksgivingPoint.org
