Really nice. Were are my hiking boots and backpack? The photos are invigorating.

Terrific colors. You might plan a trip to the over wintering site of the Monarchs. Thousands and thousands cover the trees like bark. Many more thousands circle about. Thousands follow the contour of the land down to wet areas where they can sip needed nutrients. Roads are patrolled by police. 5 MPH - strictly enforced. If they spot any butterfly splattered on your grill or windshield you receive a stiff fine. If they spot two, you go to jail. (Just kidding about the last sentence. Actually they shoot you on the spot. Haha).

Great pictures. Really captured one aspect of rural China. BTW, you were perfect on the phonetic essence of the province. The Pinyin is Sìchuān and the English is the same without the tonal indicators: Sichuan. No need to get into the Chinese characters. There are over 5000. Each with different meanings that can change depending on the context with other characters. And while there are dozens of dialects such that in conversations a person speaking one dialect may not understand another, everyone understands the characters. Hen Hao.

While Monarchs eat and lay eggs while flying north, they do not reproduce when flying south for the winter. I suppose they still consume milkweed. But while they travel north they reproduce and may fly north in a number of generational steps, but on the way south a Monarch will fly from as far away as southern Canada to the overwintering site in Mexico in one long distance flight. Amazing. They go north a step at a time but fly south all the way. How the instinct to fly south to the exact right spot in Mexico after flying north in sort of a relay race I have no idea how that can happen. It is like a relay race going north, baton passed from one Monarch to the next, until the trip starts south when a long distance runner takes the baton but does not hand it over and runs all the way south. Amazing.

Really terrific. Where is Leu gardens? I sure don’t want to go there since you have already taken the best photos possible. Haha.

Try to make it to the Monarch overwintering site in Mexico. The Monarchs cover the trees like bark and leaves. Laying on your back and imaging to the sky it is looking at a profusion of black and orange mimicking colorful fall leaves falling before the wind. Hundreds of thousands Monarchs flow down the hillsides over the roads like a splashing happy stream to drink muddy water in the small valleys which provide needed nutrients.
I would go visit again in a heartbeat.
Thanks for planting the milkweed which is disappearing. Without vigorous efforts to reinvigorate the availability of milkweed this unique and amazing part of our world will disappear. Sharing your wonderful photos helps us all realize what a loss this would be.

Gosh, you have done the best. I would like very much to visit China. And if my health allows me to so I will. I have met with a number of Chinese attorneys and business delegations in the past few years. I even represented several businesses trying to operate in the Midwest. Everyone was nice, bright, and delightful. Except one businessman who insisted that I adhere to “Gambei” after I had offered a toast. What, what, I was supposed to drink to the bottom? All the Chinese confirmed: Drink to the bottom. I did and received laughter and applause. But I will never full my glass with wine or liquor again. Haha. Did you know that hehe in China means a sarcastic laugh. Like, sure I like to be made fun of at the office. Hehe.
I have studied a little bit of Mandarin/Potangua. Enough that the delegations laughed when I hoped they would laugh and only smiled when I attempted to be serious. I never heard a person from China snicker or giggle unless it was a female who covered her mouth with her hand.
Of course your photos are top notch. I just have a little but friendly camera. Everyone says my photos are great. Hehe. No one would say otherwise: thanks for the glass of wine. By the way your photos suck. Haha.
OK, the obvious question, what photo stuff would you suggest that I purchase, practice with for six - twelve months, and take to China with me? Any ideas? Obviously you have an incredible grasp of the art of photography. That may beyond my Ken. But your thoughts on the equipment would be appreciated.
Wow, Harbin! Hen Hoa!