Autumn Falls in a splash of vibrant color on the north side of a small mountain in Maine.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s mid October and we are busy harvesting  late season crops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last peaches, pears, apples and grapes have been picked, canned or frozen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humans and Fairy Folk work together gathering fruits, nuts and vegetables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairies have sprinkled fairy dust sweetening ripened fruits and vegetables which humans and Gnomes gather to store for the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

The entire Fairy Kingdom is busy collecting food for the long cold winter months ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luna the Fairy Dog and Old Horse always take time out from their chores to play with the shape shifting Fairies and human children.

 

 

Here on the north side of a small mountain in Maine Autumn has arrived in full glory. Days have grown shorter, the air has become a bit sharp and colder; leaves change color, falling softly to the ground.

With the final passing of summer’s warmth the Home Place Fairy Folk retreat to their chambers deep within the trunk of an ancient oak tree where they will spent the long cold months of winter in a deep slumber.

It is said there is a long standing tradition among these fairies. That if they are asked sincerely and politely enough by a human child right before the final leaves have fallen, they will emerge from their winter chambers one last time to perform The Last Dance of Autumn with that child.

 

 

October is apple season in Maine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is when the Fairy Kingdom and mankind merge together working side by side to harvest nature’s bounty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humans unlike Fairy Folk cannot always see what lays directly before them, so although fairy folk work along side us they most often remain invisible to the average mortal’s eye.

Fairies and Gnomes and even the tall elegant Wizard can wander about undetected while sweetening and gathering apples at our farm.

It is usually children who catch a glimpse of them and of course the Wildlings.

On rare occasions an adult will come along who has not lost their magic of believing and for them the The Kingdom of Childhood, the gateway  to The Fairy Realm remains wide open.

It is these few individuals who will see the fairies who live and work by our side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gnomes collect tender apples sweetened by fairy dust which glimmer and glow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wizard samples the first apple picked this season for flavor, nodding his approval.

The Fairies have sprinkled the proper amount of fairy dust for taste and sweetness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After gathering  apples the Gnomes consult with The Wizard of Time regarding the weather.

This Wizard is very wise and he watches over all of the Fairy Kingdom.

He reassures the Gnomes that all will be well as they slumber through the winter months in their cozy chambers.

The Wizard knows that time moves forward and that faith is as important as the air we breathe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After our family has harvested their apples we gather bushel basket fulls into the greenhouse where we will sort them for eating and pressing into cider.

 

 

 

 

 

Home Place Fairies wheel apples to their home within the heart of an ancient tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trolls and Gnomes with the help of Fairy Dogs will carry baskets and sacks filled with apples to secret root cellars hidden on the Knoll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This evening we humans will savor the fragrance of apples baking. Tomorrow we will bring them to The Magician and His Lady of The Orchards for pressing into cider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before departing into the Enchanted Forest the Fairies peek into our greenhouse filled with a bounty they helped bring to fruition, while a little girl in red boots dances a jig on the table.

 

 

 

 

When the sun sets all Fairies, Trolls and Gnomes have retired to their chambers and we to our cozy home by a fire; the Wizard to his tower on the hill.

This is the hour when nocturnal Wildlings awaken, returning to the orchard, meadow and gardens, where they will feast upon dropped apples, late peaches and pears.

 

A bit of Home Place Fairy Lore:

Did you know that each of the Gnomes from the Knoll has their very own Fairy Dog? Well, they do.These tiny dogs are loyal companions and like most fairy folk they have the power to shape shift and increase in size. They also posses the power of partial invisibility, meaning they can make their wings invisible and appear as any average mortal dog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gnomes are playful folk and Fairy Dogs are too. But don’t be fooled, what looks like play is also about getting the job done. Gnomes are responsible for making sure each and every piece of fruit has been properly dusted by the Fairies for taste and painted by the Pixies for color. Then with the help of large invisible Trolls, Gnomes have the task of gathering enough fruits for distribution to the entire Fairy Realm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairy dogs love to run and flutter following Gnomes; in the process they prevent any magical dust from settling on the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The view from my bedroom window this morning as the sun rose in the east.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wearing a moss green cape to ward off an early morning chill I set out early into my gardens with Paco to nibble on Arctic Hardy Kiwi and say hello to Old Horse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I ventured into the forest, enjoying the painted colors of nature;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the majestic beauty of ferns and trees accompanied by the sound of leaves twirling as autumn fell down all around me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I came upon a fairy boulder rising proud among the ferns, where dust scattered by the wee folk still glimmered and glowed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a while I circled round and wandered back towards the Fairy Wardrobe Chamber where mortal children enter and exit dressed up like the Fae.

As I headed back towards my little farmhouse I heard a creaking upon the walk of stone and spied three little Home Place Fairy Folk busy with their chores.

One Fairy pulled a wooden cart, another pushed from behind; the smallest of the three sat atop their gatherings tucked safely within.

Busy collecting provisions for the long cold winter ahead these fairies had no time to stop and chatter so just waved and smiled instead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Across the roadway of interludes they went heading for the orchard where apples have ripened and the arctic kiwi grows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a long day of foraging and gathering fruits and herbs to dry the fairies headed down the road to Blueberry Hill where they say goodnight to the fading sun, dance in the twilight and greet the new moon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I too climbed the hill just before dusk enchanted by the native blueberry barrens whose fields roll far and wide turning from shades of blue to leaves of scarlet, brilliant in hue.

Each and every day I am grateful for the opportunity to step outward and move forward, for the ability to look outside of myself and discover something new.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Don’t you know that everybody’s got a Fairyland of their own?”

P.L. Travers … Mary Poppins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magic happens in every garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Esmeralda Fae enters the greenhouse each and every morning with her baskets of fairy dust flavoring our kale plants, so divine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We welcome the Home Place Fairies that help tend our gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

It is important to express appreciation and gratitude to those who offer their services so selflessly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We harvest Esmeralda’s Fairy sweetened Kale from our glass greenhouse from late March until late November… when we let the greenhouse rest for the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer is ending here in Maine.

A brisk chill fills the air as evening approaches and dew is on the meadow.

This morning I caught a glimpse of two hard working Home Place Fairies as they wheeled a wooden cart towards my peach orchard.

The rest of their day will be spent preparing the peaches for winter storage.

The fairies will fill jars of cling peaches; they will make peach cobbler, peach crisp and even peach pie!

 

 

Here is a delightful simple little recipe from the fairy folk for a summer Fairy Berry Fruit Salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ingredients can come from your garden or the market, the fresher and grown closer to home the better.

1 small seedless watermelon cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 of a  fresh melon, cantaloupe or honeydew is fine cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup or heaping handful of fresh blueberries

1 heaping handful of red raspberries

A handful or more of large purple grapes sliced in half

A sprig of Mint, Lemon Balm or Lemon Verbena

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon honey

Cut the watermelon and cantaloupe into small  bite size pieces.

Place about 1/2 cup of the watermelon and 1/2 cup of the cantaloupe pieces into an electric blender. Put the rest of these pieces into your large colorful bowl.

Toss into bowl your grapes which you have cut in halves, your handfuls of raspberries and blueberries. Set aside.

To the cantaloupe and watermelon chunks in electric blender add your 1 Tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Blend on high until well blended.

Take a sip of this mixture, add more honey if you desire a sweeter flavor. Pour this mixture over your fruit salad, toss to thoroughly blend flavors and serve immediately or chill for a nice cool refreshing summer treat!

Oh yes, add a sprig of mint (or lemon balm or…lemon verbena) for color, fragrance and whimsy!

When peaches are in season I will add 2 or 3 large ones which I have chopped into bite sized pieces….yum

Enjoy!

 

August is a month of great beauty in my garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some images taken right before dusk, a time when the birds nest in for the evening, when butterflies stop fluttering and our honeybees have returned to their hives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sometimes think it is during these quieter hours when I return to the garden not to work, but to pause and soak in the beauty abundant all around me that I enjoy myself the most.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fairies are in their chambers refreshed from a long afternoon nap after their busy day spent tending the flora all around them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come twilight they will sing and dance among the flowers with the wildlings, not to work but to play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every garden is someone’s paradise, a source of beauty , harvest and contemplation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where gardens grow fairies reside.