Deep within the heart of a garden

 

 

 

 

No matter how large or how small

 

 

 

 

 

A whole world flourishes; secrets abound and life pulses with color and vibrancy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Morning Glory greeted me in the greenhouse at the start of my day. Isn’t she spectacular?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Across the aisle from Glory sat this lovely Fushia and her sweet heart, the most handsome Wax Begonia.

I said hello; then meandered about gathering my daily harvest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By days end I transformed my lush assortment of veggies into a tasty pot of vegetarian chili.

A very Fairy Fine Chili, the perfect way to end a very fine day.

 

 

Look who I saw in the Enchanted Forest on this fine summers day.

 

 

A Doe, a deer, a lovely Dear Doe and her twin Fawns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be your self.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your brilliant, glorious original self.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is so much magic in the world around you

 

 

 

 

 

All you have to do is look.

 

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!

 

A full moon August evening is a magical time in the Enchanted Forest.

The Full Moon of August is known by several names. Traditionally called the “Sturgeon Moon” because the giant sturgeon fish of the Great Lakes was caught during this time it can also known as the “Moon When All Things Ripen”, and here in Maine known as “The Blueberry Moon”.

 

 

 

 

 

Where Woodland Fairies go, there is sure to be a Fawn or two and their mother, a Doe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Full Moon!

 

 

Happy Birthday Old Horse !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Born in July on a bright sunny day you were long ago enchanted by  Fairy Folk and though you age you never grow old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your most loyal companion and her friends three, bring a cake topped with carrot candles all a glow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A magnificent birthday cake made of freshly cut hay; a bit of grain, molasses, pink clover and carrots for you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make your wish as we wish along too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carrot candles are for eating once your Horse wishes are heaven sent.

 

 

 

 

 

Cake to eat and children to pat and groom you as fairies flutter  about… what more could a Horse wish for on such a fine day?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later two sisters ride upon your back , their hearts filled with love and gratitude for a companion such as you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another child shares the joy of living this dream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are the Fairy Best Friend a child could wish for and we love you dearly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have always cherished you and will continue to love you to the moon and back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Old Horse!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such a Fine and Grand Old Horse, if ever there was one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As August approaches, fairy folk work diligently alongside the grand children as we harvest and prepare our foods for winter storage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early each morning the fairies add an extra sprinkling of fairy dust to help ripen and mature our fruit and vegetable crops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In our farmhouse kitchen a small child prepares fresh picked basil and fairy sweetened sun ripened tomatoes for puree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time of year there is an abundance of greens;  one salad a day; sometimes two, has becomes part of our regular diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A simple salad has many possibilities and here at our farm, while in season we eat a different variation every night.

Here are some ideas for a few fairy simple salad recipes you might like to try.

Consider combining lush kale, various lettuces, a bit of basil and red cabbage. How you arrange these greens will add visual complexity and beauty; top it off with a splash of organic virgin olive oil or your favorite dressing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another simple salad: Try sweet halved cherry tomatoes (red and gold), a bit of chopped green onion, on a bed of baby lettuce; a smidgen of broccoli florets, a bit of grated or chopped Parmesan cheese. Add tiny bits of whirled prosciutto. Yum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who prefer a more hearty dinner salad, try combining these ingredients for a multi bean and corn based combo.

For the Dressing:

2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 of sea salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

Whisk all together in a glass 1 cup measuring cup or small bowl and set aside.

Now here’s the ingredients for the salad. I basically use more or less depending upon how many folks I am serving.

You can play around with the volume of stated quantities of ingredients as you may want to make an individual salad or family size.

Here’s the ingredients:

6 -8 sweet cherry tomatoes sliced thinly

1 can 16 oz organic garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

4 cups rinsed organic black beans

4-6 green onions chopped fine

broccoli tops chopped small (use as much as you like)

handful green beans cut 1 inch

4-6 ears fresh corn on cob , uncooked kernels shaved off the cob

organic black olives sliced

a bit of red bell pepper chopped fine

1/3 cup cilantro chop fine (optional)

chopped and diced fine jalapenos to taste (optional)

pine nuts (optional)

a couple nasturtium flowers for garnish, you may eat the petals only.

Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl with very clean hands or two wooden spoons to combine.

Drizzle your dressing over salad and gently toss to evenly coat.

Now you can toss in your jalapenos if you desire and sprinkle with pine nuts and calendula petals

If you are lucky and have a few heads of calendula flowers in your garden, pinch off just the petals,  sprinkle them upon your salad just before serving.

The Fairies encourage beauty and strive for it in all of their creations.

They suggest you take your time creating all these salads, experiment with color and texture, fragrances and tastes.

Fairies serve all their meals with gratitude for those who are present and the bounty of each days harvest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and dessert fairy style can be so enjoyable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Especially when it’s this simple.

Try mixing a simple salad of fresh blueberries along with the last of this seasons lingering raspberries. Add some sliced purple grapes and decoratively top with a sprig of fresh mint harvested from the herb garden or market. A dollop of whipped cream would finish things off nicely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course there is always berries a la natural.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And don’t forget smoothies.

Fruit Smoothies Yum

Most any fruit and berries will do.

Think New England fruits such as apple, peaches and pears.

Cherries, red raspberries, black berries and blueberries.

Rinse and chop fruit into 1” pieces, pit stone fruits such as cherries and peaches

Rinse your berries.

Plop into a blender whichever mixture of berries and fruits you have chosen.

Pour in a cup or two of Orange Juice. Press go, and blend. Presto! There you have it, one fairy fine smoothie. Add more or less orange juice to get the thickness you desire. Add ice if you want your smoothie good and cold.

The Fairies say to be creative, try adding a bit of chocolate, a scoop of ice cream. Yum.

Try blending or adding an assortment of tropical fruits, kiwi, pineapple, mango. Even a bit of coconut can be a delicious addition. And don’t forget the melons… watermelon and good ole honey dew!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy the process and as the fairies like to say,“Bless and be grateful for each and every day.”

 

 

 

 

Every garden has a story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And if I were to tell you mine in part began here. In a tiny house at the edge of a blueberry barren, nestled into a wood by a brook with a lone apple tree, well, that would not be untrue.

 

 

Fairies believe in Possibilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairies believe in Wonder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairies believe in Magic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairies delight in Creative Expression and Magical Thinking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about you?