We have not always known about butterflies. In 1991 we moved to Aromas, California, from Silicon Valley. My wife, Sandi Douglas, works as a social worker for the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara, and having a place in the country was a good way to unwind from the stresses of working in Silicon Valley. Sandi's passion is gardening and anything associated with plants.

I, on the other hand, did not have much of an interest in plants, but I liked being outdoors and working the land with my tractor. I worked at San Jose State University, and it was always good to come home and work with my hands. Whenever I went to pick up Sandi at work, I would talk to one of her staff, Connie Diaz, who has a passion for butterflies. Her passion was infectious; and she soon had us seeking out their winter natural habitats. Pacific Grove, Pismo Beach and Natural Bridges State Park are three such sites where Monarchs spend the winter, and we were hooked.

In 1999 we took a class from The Butterfly Conservancy on raising butterflies, so that we could become more knowledgeable about these wonderful creatures. One of the things that impressed us was that butterflies are in danger of losing much of their natural breeding grounds due to urban encroachment. It was then that we decided to convert our 3.5 acres homestead into a refuge for butterflies. In 1998 I retired from San Jose State and we began Douglas-Michel Butterfly Plants, with the idea of combining Sandi's knowledge and passion for plants, and Pete's desire to provide a safe haven for butterflies; into a business selling plants that attract butterflies.