Times have been hard
for the fairies
these past few years.
What with the drought,
they were not able to find
many of their usual haunts
in pristine condition.
The mossy banks
had dried up and
the flowers that were their life blood
did not thrive in
such dry conditions.
Then,
finally,
the rains came
but flooding was a big concern
and the fairies are not known
for their swimming abilities.
When winter was over
and summer began,
hopes were high.
But,
the hot, scorching sun,
made it almost impossible to
realize a time
when fairies, or humans,
would be able to
get back to the lives
they loved.
Until now...
With the spirit
of Mary Lennox in mind,
the humans in this story,
along with their
ever faithful apprentice,
sucked it up
and started the renovation of
the Secret Garden.
Always mindful of
bad backs and aching joints,
they persevered and
were able to put it to rights
in short order.
(Well, that depends on whom you talk to)...
...not only did
the Secret Garden
get an overhaul...
...so did
the screened porch.
A new carpet
of pea gravel
was laid down,
pretty little flowers
were added to the pots and
the fountain
found a new calling
as a planter...
...and Dickon
would be happy to see
that the animals
have come once again
to grace the garden and
to drive away any predators
that might be lurking around
that could be harmful
to the fairies.
The screened porch,
or Summer Place,
as it is called,
got a good dusting and sweeping...
...the "starry sky"
at night,
looks bright and twinkly...
...fresh flowers,
a pretty tea set and
a new pillow...
...make the little bistro set
look charming and ready
for a shady spot of rest
in the afternoon...
...or a dessert destination
in the evening.
As a fairy peeks out
from behind the door,
a soft breeze
moves the chimes and
in the dappled shade
of the old Twisted Tree,
she begins
to dance...
...moments later,
the other fairies
come out
to join her...
...and if a human is lurking
around the corner,
you might hear a faint
"Kaizie, the fairies are dancing"
and seemingly out of nowhere,
and every single time,
a little black dog
comes running to watch.
This little black dog
has many quirks
but one of the most endearing
is the way his back legs
start by his side
in a seated position
and, bit by bit,
start to slide out
to each side.
This reminds one
of a little frog and
has earned him the nickname of
the Little Frog Prince.
It is a celebration
in the Secret Garden
that has been
a few years in the making
and hopefully,
the fairies,
along with the Little Frog Prince
and the humans,
will enjoy it for
many years
to come.
"If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden."
Frances Hodgson Burnett
"The Secret Garden"
...Judy...
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