And as the seasons come and go, here’s something you might like to know. There are fairies everywhere: under bushes, in the air, playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day. So listen, touch, and look around – in the air and on the ground. And if you watch all nature’s things, you might just see a fairy’s wing. ~Author Unknown
A few weeks ago, when my husband Rich was teaching Sunday School, and I was home from church with three sick boys (and some healthy ones, too), I got really restless and made everyone grab their sleeping bags so we could be outdoors for a while. It was so soothing and calm, and I’ve thought about that morning every day since. We walked to a spot on our property by the stream, under the gently waving branches of some tall trees. The pond was nearby, as well. See up there in the picture? See how Seth and Caleb are standing and looking down the bank? The stream is down there….close enough that we could hear the sound of the water and the healthy children could go down and splash and walk on the rocks. Do you see baby Sarah sleeping on the blankets with the brothers? She’s tiny like a doll. Do you see Grace?
Grace was quietly busy making a wonderful treat for the fairies. I got to help. Our imaginations soared as we gathered little bits of nature to use for the fairies….tiny berries, twigs, acorns, broken up leaves and twigs, seeds, little mushrooms, bark, and so on.
I wove together a screen out of long cattail leaves.
While the boys have been busy making their own books about UFO’s and Sasquatch, Grace has been making her own book about Fairies. She’s naming the fairies, writing descriptions, and drawing pictures.
We have checked out every book at the library about fairies that we can find. Our favorites by far are by Cicely Mary Barker, who was an artist born in England, in 1895. Her pictures are sweet and innocent, perfect for a little girl to study and try to imitate.
Here is a small sampling of Cicely Mary Barker’s precious art work:
“Down by the spring one morning
Where the shadows still lay deep,
I found in the heart of the flower
A tiny fairy asleep.”
~Laura Ingalls Wilder in “The Fairy Dew Drop”
I think it’s wonderful when we use our imaginations to dream of pleasant things. Grace told me a few days after we made our little fairy feasting area that all the food was gone. ~
Good to be Home 
Girl, I always LOVE your posts.
she drew/colored or painted those? wow she has talent!!! I love the blanket pic…so restful!:) Doesn’t getting outdoors work like therapy? It sure does to me! Sometimes going for a walk in the neighborhood is just what I need to regain my inner balance:) I wonder if this is the same for others?
Very neat post! Love the little place for the fairies. Oh, a stream gurgling along does soothe the soul somehow.
We used to treasure those old rotting, moss covered stumps where fairy pools were…and the toadstools grew. I’m sure that is why you still love the feel of moss and the sight of mushrooms…it was always a joy to us to find those treasures and to make up aour stories to go with them. Thanks for sharing the memories!Love You!
Wonderful to go out and rest in the midst of nature!! We are finally having the heat I wanted and I feel so cooped up with this heavy heavy cold. My chest hurts today so trying to rest and get well. I love making believe and having such happy thoughts. All those wonderful little bits of nature creatively put together by you and Grace look wonderful…no wonder all the food is gone! I’ve always loved Barkers style and drawings.
The fairy treats are beautiful and precious!! I am sure that if I were a fairy- the food would have been gone too!!! 🙂 I love the Laura Ingalls quote at the end.
Oh what a fun book that would be to read! AND, the fairies are modestly dressed!!! Lol. So many of them aren’t! I loved looking at the pictures. What a creative and fun mom you are. =)
I’ve always loved fairies too. I love Cicely Mary Barker’s illustrations; they are so much better than most I’ve seen. Thank you for sharing. Has Grace watched “Fairy Tales: A True Story?” Her little fairy house reminds me of it. What a wonderful memory making moment for a mother and daughter. I know she’ll cherish it when she’s older. 🙂
She is my favorite artist when it comes to fairies as well! So so so so sweet, Sarah does look like a doll!!! I can just imagine how wonderful that afternoon was!
I’m sure the fairies loved their feast- made especially enjoyable because of the lovely environment created just for them to partake of said feast. The fairy illustrations are so sweet. I have seen her artwork before, and enjoy it very much! Getting outside that morning was just the thing. I love these glimpses into your life. You’re doing a great job, Shan!
How beautiful!!! Have you read the Fablehaven books by Brandon Mull yet? I just finished the first one this morning, and now I think we will all read it aloud here, because it has great discussion questions at the end of the book!
oh shoot I thought Grace painted/colored those:):) Now I see I missed the name Cicely barker in your post…silly me!!! oops:)
I had that Flower Fairires collection; loved the arttist’s drawings! The books are probably in a box under the house! Now I want to dig them out and appreciate them all over again! It’s so cute how you had that arrangement. I love the round, fat acorns! Our acorns are little skinny ones, but cute in their own way. Nature is glorious!
I didn’t know about Cicely Mary Barker, thank you for introducing me! Right after reading this post, I scrolled down and saw the pictures of Sarah in her tutu and thought, “A real live fairy!”
Magically imaginative! Acorns are always cute like babies. Smooth, plump, politely colorful, promising growth.
Cicely May Barker has always, always been my favorite artist when it comes to fairies … my sister and I still pore over her illustrations. When we move Gracie into Joy’s room this fall, I’m going to redecorate it with a forest theme, and I so want some prints by Barker to put on the wall!It was a beautiful feast Grace made for the fairies … I hope she never outgrows her belief in them!
i love the “apple blossom” picture….it looks like those fairies could be Grace and Sarah…
@shondadiane – I thought the same thing! 🙂
It’s amazing how much fun a child can have just using his/her imagination and whatever they find. Your children have lots of fun imagination!
I LOVE that you think outstide the box and put your children directly in touch with nature (when they probably need it most, being sick)! What a great mom you are! It’s so refreshing to read your blog and to see how you go about doing the everyday things. I see bits of Charlotte Mason unspokenly written all over this site and its so encouraging to a homeschool newbie mom like me to see it in action. Your photos are great too. To God be the glory!! Keep up the good work.
Oh to have a spot like that to be with loved when not feeling well…shade, green growing things and a babbling brook, blankets, books and babies!When I was a child my parents brought home 3 of Barker’s fairy books from their trip to England. I loved them. Later as a college student, I dreamed of opening a children’s dress shop and all the clothing looked like her pictures
@maryhurlbut – The dress shop is a wonderful idea, Mary. I love that!