Lovely Luna

Luna Moth Actias luna

While working in the Garden of the Wizard by the Sea I came upon this dear sweet Luna Moth in the full bright light of a very sunny day. Having fulfilled her life’s duty to lay some 200 eggs she was quite weary and spent . Softly she was trying her best to expire while blending into what little shade the flora around her offered in a rather public and busy location with much noise. Too tired to make it back to the dense shade of the forest she found herself captive to the sun, for Luna Moths only fly at night. I kept my eye on her as I tended the gardens,weeding and planting and after 5 hours I noticed she was no longer so firmly holding onto a daisy’s stem. She was fading as the human sounds around her grew harsher. I pondered her predicament, taking in the loud noise of the passing traffic and the sunlight harsh on her midnight loving wings. I consulted with the fairy folk and it was determined that I should transport her to the woodland garden of the fairies and let her pass from this life in peace. Gently I snipped the stem she now so weakly held on to, resting her on my gardeners scarf beside a branch of lilac as I transported her to the gentle cover of the forest. Once there I set her in the woodland and as night fell the fairies came to sing as she ever so quietly, ever so gently, departed from this world. 

If you have ever encountered a Luna Moth you know how unforgettable they are. Effervescent green, they are magical in appearance with a wingspan of 4 and 1/2 inches. Their hind wings have “eyespots” and 2 long tails. Their bodies are white and their legs are pinkish. Males and females look the same though males antennae are bushier. Luna Moths are among the largest moths in North America . They come out at dusk flying only at night in spring and early summer. These moths have a very short life span, in which they have just one quest and that is to find a mate and breed . During her short life the female moths lays eggs, 200 of them in small groups of 7 or so . Once laid it will take 10 days for these eggs to hatch into caterpillars. Here in Maine the eggs are laid on the bottom sides of the leaves of Red Maple, White Oak, White Birch,Smooth Sumac, American Chestnuts, Willows and Beech. As soon as the caterpillars hatch they begin eating the leaves of their host tree. The caterpillars will eat and grow, molting (shedding) their skins 5 times over a 4 week period. This molting/shedding process is called instar. Each instar increases the size of the caterpillar as well as changes it’s appearance somewhat . In all stages of instar the caterpillars are green however the hairs on their backs change in color and volume, as well they increase in size.When the caterpillar is 2 1/2 inches long it is fully grown and will spin silk from near it’s mouth wrapping itself into a leaf. It is now called a pupa and is inside a cocoon. Pupa stay in their cocoon about 3 to 4 weeks and then hatch. If  late in the season and close to winter they will remain in their cocoon and hatch in the spring. The leaf with cocoon will drop from the tree in autumn, becoming sheltered by falling leaves. When Adult Luna Moths emerge from their cocoon they are very tired. Though weary, they climb high up into the treetops hanging so their wings are upside down. This allows the wings to inflate with blood. After completing this process the moths wait until darkness falls to take flight. During the twilight hours of darkness female Luna Moths secrete a chemical scent that guides the males to them. After the female Luna Moth lays her eggs the male and female moths fly to a protected woodland glade to gently and quietly pass from this life. Adult Luna Moths live for only 7 days, they have no mouths and cannot and do not ever eat! The lovely Luna Moth I found in the Wizard’s garden for whatever reason had lost her way back to the forest and found herself caught in the bright light of day. I was happy to escort Luna back to the forest of kindhearted fairy folk who honored and blessed her with their kindness, then released her spirit to the wind and let her go.

The fairies sang to dear Luna.

It is said that at the end of every Rainbow there rests a pot of Leprechaun Gold.

I cannot confirm nor deny this possibility and the Fairies themselves remain very secretive, revealing nothing.

One thing I know for certain is that Rainbows are spectacular visions and many legends surround them.

Since Fairies are infamous for not revealing secrets I thought I would do a little scientific research of my own regarding Rainbows.

This is what I learned:

In order for a Rainbow to be formed it must be raining and the sun must be shinning.

Sunlight appears white although it’s actually made up of many wavelengths (colors) of light.

Some of these wavelengths (colors) bend more than others when sunlight enters water droplets because water is denser than air.

When white sunlight passes through and exits rain droplets, the droplets act like tiny prisms separating and bending the different wave lengths into a band of colors which is then reflected back to us as a Rainbow.

Violet has the shortest wave length of visible light (color), so she bends the most.

Meanwhile Red has the largest wave length of visible light so she bends the least.

I am still not sure about the Leprechaun Gold, but I do know for certain that someday, somewhere, over some rainbow, your dreams really will come true!

For the Fairies told me so…

Old friends are as important as new friends. One is silver and the other is gold.

The day Dory Anna came to visit she told stories from her own childhood as fairy folk happily fluttered all about.

Dory Anna shared one of her favorite childhood tales about a delightful spider and a charming pig.

Some very special pig in fact. Do you know the name of this story and who this pig and his spider friend might b

Every garden, no matter what size is a place for the telling of tales, for sharing, thinking, reading and savoring the natural world all around.

Springtime Lilacs; early summer Lilacs and Lupines too,  oh what a sight!

The Home Place Fairy Folk have been very busy this spring and early summer tending the lilacs and lupines as well as countless other plants here at the farm.

The fairies spent a long and very cold winter confined to their cozy chambers hidden deep within the Enchanted Forest.

After a good long slumber they awoke to a slow spring, much rain and lingering cold. The skies were often gray; flora was slow to green and because of this the fairies could not leave their chambers for more than a few minutes at a time, until much later in the season than ever before.

Being well rested from a long winters sleep they occupied their time by grinding what became an abundance of fairy dust for sprinkling on springtime flora.

Fairy Dust is enchanted of course with that extra special something that encourages each plant it is sprinkled upon to sprout, blossom and GLOW as well as grow!

The fairies happily and efficiently work together in pairs, side by side grinding precious stones and minerals, chanting and singing spells as stones turn into magical dust. Then  out into the gardens the fairy folk fly, sprinkling fairy dust as they flutter way up high and way down  low.

Their exuberance and hard work shows for the woodland, meadows and gardens here at the farm have never looked more vibrant and happy.

Thank you Home Place Fairies and all my Fairy Friends far and wide.

Remember , magic happens in EVERY garden, all one has to do is look.

On the north side of a small mountain in Maine I take care of some very beautiful gardens with the help of a small troop of Home Place Fairies.

Early each morning fairies flutter about my farm sprinkling fairy dust encouraging all sorts of plants to flourish and grow.

Today I surprised La Rosa as she was tending the woodland plants.

In the center of the Children’s Garden I found Little Lu Fairy whispering to Yellow Iris and singing to chives.

Before leaving the garden Little Lu looks in on a nest of baby wildlings.

Magic happens in every garden and if you look closely all kinds of miracles are happening, like this little ground nest of sparrow eggs. Aren’t they beautiful? Notice how Little Lu Fairy sprinkled them with protective fairy dust.

Memories of springtime in a small garden in Maine.

Through the woodland from the Enchanted Forest into the garden the fairy children go.

A garden full of wonder where fairies sing to the flowers and dance as they scatter seeds and tend rose bushes, blueberries and herbs.

Occasionally granting wishes as they sing and they play.

Fairy Tales are true stories that maybe never happened…

Serenade for a Fairy Fine Dog.

Each day the little girl comes to visit Old Horse as he stands sentry to the hidden entrance of the Home Place Fairies winter chambers.

The little girl brings him fruit and carrots.

She pats him and laughs as he nudges her in greeting.

Old Horse whispers to her that spring is on it’s way, he knows this and he knows so much more.

Together they taste the magic of snow.

As darkness approaches the little girl bids him goodnight and walks home to her house in the woods.

Old Horse will be here tomorrow as he has been each and everyday.

He is her best friend as well as guardian of the Home Place Fairies.

All winter long Old Horse guards the entrance to the fairies chambers and each day the little girl comes to be with him.

Together they enjoy snow and dream of springtime flowers and fairy folk fluttering in the breeze.