Enchanted Pathways Faerie Nursery: The Photo

'The Photo from the Nursery'

The downy woodpecker is one of two different species that visit our northern nursery. the similarities between the downy and hairy woodpeckers are hard to spot but rest assured that they both do raise havoc with our boreal chickadees and nuthatches when it comes to sharing space on the bird feeders.

Clandestine Ecstasy

Preserving the myth.

Location. Location. Location.

Shadows deceive, wrinkles define.

Even she needs to stop and cry.

A ticking of the clock purifies for extinction

The happenstance of taking flight from the heavens
caught in sky to the fortune found plucked from the
earth as the sign for good luck.

An imaginary glimpse of the dance in the sky.

The eyes of our 'Mother' there is a sense of beauty be it for the rose or for the dandelion. The eye of 'me', there is no sense of beauty (for another) be they be the rose or the dandelion.

A sanctuary found without a script.

Isn't it strange how a twisted dance step that was scribbled on a dirty napkin has now become a choreographed dance step all the way down to the contorted expression found painted on ones face.

As gold lava consumes earth's thin layer of crust
do you think that we will be seen as a shinning star
found only in the midnight sun?

Her water has broken, the head has
crowned and Mother Nature is giving
birth to yet another season.

Waiting for Ostara to paint her petals with
the colour of nobility.

Loneliness has embodied everyone at sometime.

Not knowing where one might be after the mist

rises from the depths of the valley; it is here in this

place that I'm left pondering if my seeing

what actually is there than the impenetrable lie

that I keep close to my heart and hide in my mind.

The dream and the lie that never were.

A molten lava moon. A dark starless sky.

A lifeless rock. An imbedded footprint.

All will be conquered. All will be left behind.

All will be forgotten. Run. Run. Run.

It's a balmy -38.6C!! Living in Canada's subarctic region sure has it perks! But the winter temperatures are sometimes not exactly one of them and I'm thinking that this just might qualify as being one of those times. I definitely hear that comfy blankie and a warm fire calling me back to bed.

Good morning everyone it's bikini time.

A crypt footprint frozen in time! Sorrow or Hopeful? Wary or Excited? Mourning or Optimistic? Regretted or Anticipation? Heartbreak or Euphoric? Troubled or

Promising? It's your future, you choose.

That gut wrenching feeling as life itself begins to creep up and dig its way to your deepest roots. Panic! Panic! Panic! Close your eyes? Blink! Blink! Blink! Hold your breath? Scream! Scream! Scream! Hide within the darkness? Run! Run! Run! An empty shell turning to ash? Burn! Burn! Burn! A body without its soul. Dream! Dream! Dream!

A blackened sky; A autumn night; A fiery flicker;

A warmed air; A coppered ember; A unheard sound; A rehearsed dance; A reflected kingdom;

A illuminated firefly; A wished dream; A forgotten Memory.

The wind blowing look! Preflight including the ruffling feathers, confirmation of GPS

coordinates, checking windspeed and finally ready to take flight.

Safe journeys and hi to the family from us.

As the shadows slowly creep over a snow covered carpet a heart wrenching plea can be heard

as the death is once again forcibly plunged into the terrors of the blackened night.

But one must remember that soon this same opaqueness must succumb to the reign

of the midnight sun when the drought ridden soil begs for its crystallized close to reappear.

Knowing that steps lead one down a path of no return what can be said about

such said steps that are still waiting for those footprints to happen?

It is truly a magical sight when you see the shadow of

a Faerie dancing on the face of a delicate pansy.

It's bikini time everyone! Sitting at a balmy

-30.5C (-22.9F) we are enjoying a wonderful heatwave.

Don't forget to bring your sunscreen.

Introducing the Calendar Line of Faeries.

Even in the dead of winter, the faeries still decorate the ground with their faerie rings.

Who needs special coloured lights to decorate a room when just a lampshade can illuminate a magical light show.

With the holiday craft fair being just over 24 hours away do you think that I'll be ready in time? This is when I really do need to have a bit of faerie dust help.

Do you ever get that feeling that you're being watched? Sometimes it's just around the corner. Sometimes it's just over your shoulder. And sometimes it's right in front of you.

From the belief of yesterday's many. From the belief of today's few. The magic of the dragon and the unicorn are once again brought together in a rhythmic dancing of the flames. Now the question remains who will remember to light the kindling to breathe life once more to the fire?

Do you have the time to drop on by?

Perhaps on the darkest of one of a number of endless plants. Perhaps on the surface of a solar system we do not know is yet there. Perhaps on a land still unseen by our mirrors no matter how shiny. Perhaps a life that still finds its way to the surface. Perhaps a reminder that we cannot contain a mystery, a dream, or perhaps a freak of nature.

Everyone is here! Everyone is laid out! Everyone is ready! Now let the next stage begin so that we're not late for the winter ball.

With the magic of the rainbow the faerie dance begins.

The next Generation of Faerie.

As the night takes over.

A table made from a dried up sunflower head, the sunshine rays flickering through the tree branches as if a candle flame, the copper tailed squirrel discussed as a maitre d', an endless supply of black shelled seeds and all the while the red fire ants dance their circle around the open sign welcoming chickadees in to dine at the local haunt.

A long lonely raven's call can only only be heard through the hidden treetops. With no response to his vocal plea do you think the mate has been swallowed by the descent of the early morning fog?

Wee water droplets dancing their way to the tip of a twig mirroring the autumn colours as if in an upside down snow glove waiting for the snowflakes of winter to arrive.

Dew drops...the pictured memories of an early mornings work of art.

Our fine feathered friends are searching their closets for warm downy coats while the first stalactites can be seen forming on the roof of the local feeder.

The last of the Sun God's power has said its goodbyes for yet another long winter ahead. With no where to hide the heavy snow claims yet another soul. Now with the burden of knowing that your demise is just within arms reach do you take up arms and hold your head up hight refusing to let your life away? Do you take this solemn vow to withstand the ebb of time so you can take control of your fate and inevitable death and do with as you please? Or do you let the world around you dictate what will happen as you stand waiting for the next wave to wash you away? As like this pansy that shows it colour never letting obstacles hold him back, he hangs on and fights for yet another day. Fight with all of your might as this is your time to shine.

Proudly holding a matching candy cane in her arms this wee festive Faerie can't wait for the holidays. But do be forewarned that if she is placed too close to a red glitter poinsettia she just might use it as the perfect camouflage. She just might play with the baubles on a tree branch pushing them too close to the edge! Or she might even be brazen enough to tear off the corner of a box wrapped in pretty paper just to see what might be hiding inside! Or even walk upon the fireplace mantle blowing out all of the candles! Oh, and just make sure that you check the toe of your stocking as they sure do giggle when you find a squishy mandarin orange on Christmas morning. These Candy Cane faeries have even been known to steal all of the tinsel and hang it on the highest bough in the hope that it just might be enough to make the sapling tip over! And if this isn't enough mischief for you, just think of what just might happen, well let's just say, all of the above naughtiness is done while you are awake!! Can you just picture what might possibly be done while you are sleeping!!

The 'bird's eye view'

Oh the humility of it all...being left exposed for all to see! What is that saying...'bottoms up'.

Now for some of the little details regarding Faerie wings!! So many shapes, sizes and colours to choose from and then of course you need a coordinating flower rhinestone bead for the finish touch.

I'm seeing some pretty rosy cheeks!!!

This is the naming part of the new Line. Each little platform has had our icon burned on one edge to allow room for my printing. Of course my little nursery uses only environmentally safe products...'Varathane Diamond Wood Finish Water Based'. The newest Faerie is titled 'Holiday Edition 2014'

Being a Limited Edition, and I mean LIMITED....there will only be 10 of these for 2014 Holiday Faeries created. Wow! Not that really is limited!!

First try a bomb! Beads did absolutely noting for what I'm looking for. Back to the drawing board.

I find the hardest part of creating a Faerie is drawing her face. I have wasted more wooden head beads than I can count or even admit to! The placement of her eyes and cheek bones determines the style of her hair but even more that that, it's what sets her apart from the other and that in turns makes her unique (p.s. I ended up having four that just didn't feel right this time around)

A sneak peek at our first Holiday Edition Faerie! I still find it so amazing how much love (and product) goes into a dream and idea, then off to the designing stage, then off to the actual production stage and then to a final end product. I wouldn't miss this part of having a wee nursery/home based business for anything. It sure feels good to be designing again. Follow along for more snapshots as she comes along.

Weighted down with hoarfrost in the early morning hours, life waits impatiently for this wee leaf to once again disguise our nakedness as it once did in the olden years.

The long awaited finishing touches has just arrived. I'm loving the way these crystal display cases show off every aspect of her gown, hair, decorative trinket and all the way down to their numbered wooden bases. These will work perfectly for my wee Faeries.

This Faerie Goddess is seen stretching out her neck as if to praise the last few rays of the warming autumn sun.

From the belief of yesterday's many. From the belief of today's few. The magic of the dragon and the unicorn are once again brought together in a rhythmic dancing of flames. Now the question remains who will have the belief on them tomorrow? Will someone remember to light the kindling to breathe life once more to the fire?

Listen as the autumn breeze chimes with the winds of cold leaving behind the fieriness that has warmed our faces. As the story goes it's at this time that Hades has his clutches wrapped around Peresephone in the darkness of the water. Demeter is overwhelmed with grief at the loss of her daughter and has turned the fields to shades of brown making the earth die and go dormant. Once rescued by her mother, Persephone proceeds to eat six pomegranate seeds dooming her to spend the next six months of the year in the underworld. The darkness has now taken over and is slowly being eating as the light of the days go by.

Just as inevitable as time itself? Watching as one season transforms to the next either for the warmth or the bracing for the cold. These are the times of autumn and spring that Mother Nature shows her true colours. When can you say that you have put yourself on display for all the world to see your true colours?

Perhaps this wee fellow was carried on the wing of a bird visiting the northern nursery.

A somewhat selfie? Sometimes you actually have to become one with nature in order to appreciate the delicate little things like four-leaf clover hunting.

Struggling in the knowing of the changing season, the flowers turn towards the sun as it warms their faces.

My very first five leaf clover! The Faeries have definitely visited and kissed my garden with their splendour.

As seen through the shadow magic captured by an altered lens, nature seduces us with the promise of colour. Can you see it? Do you want to see it? Do you see only through rose coloured glasses? Or do you see only black and white?

A mirage within the morning fog. Is this where the whispers lay their heads? Is this where the whispers play? Is this where the whispers have found each other to live out their eternity?

As seen as the unbelievable...a metallic goldfish is acting as the anchor point for the delicate strings of a spiders web. I wonder if it is more like the carp is luring in its next meal?

Looking at the world through a difference lens. The water dropped window mirroring life as it is today no matter how twisted. The colours of the sky give hope for a bright future. In today, as you are right now, are you seeing the land as it is; or can you dream of floating under the mountains and towards the new horizon?

Confined within these concrete walls, Mother Nature swirls and twirls in her ever continuing game of erosion. You have to wonder if we will best her once and for all? But alas, when studying the patterns of the past, we really don't stand a chance now do we? And who are we to say that it isn't our turn to rule our own domain, for is it really ours??

Upon the sands, man creates his own temple to appease the gods of the land, of the air and of the sea. Do you think that a structure of this magnitude was made for them or more for ourselves?

These mussel slippers must have been worn by a mermaid that wanted to badly to walk just a step or two with the warmth of the sand between the toes that are where her tail once was. Oh how strange it must have felt but still oh so enchanting too! One must wonder if she dare come back to once again walk upon the land that her home washes away in both high and low tides.

As the mightiest of might mammals of the seas sings his song for all to hear. Shall we all take that minute, even that precious moment to hear that dying breath as man takes over the waters he once ruled. Stop mankind, just stop. These glorious whales deserves to keep their stature for all to praise.

Watching the power of Poseidon as the waves come crashing against yesteryears discarded beach that tells the stories of where it has come from. The sound reverberates to where even your heartbeat sings the same the tune.

As the plume of the suns final goodnight she shows her fiery side that started as a small ripple across the waters to a full out explosion of a fireball on the not-so-near distance. Beware those that think they can harness her greatness.

As faeries really do come in every shape and size and have even been known to transform themselves to suit the local residents in both beauty and not-so-much. This style of the not-so-much is with the eye of the beholder. Me, myself and I had wished that it would have stayed hidden.

Here lies an ancient soul that has been washed ashore. Legend has it that if a certain underwater denizen goes up against the powers of the sun and her charmed shallow waters will be instantly be tossed upon that once enchanted sand to spend all of eternity seen by those it despises the most. You can now see with your own eyes the true nature of a troll with their old distorted and anguished mask.

Within the darkest of the dark green algae that can now be found in the almost blackened water as the light has been swallowed by the night. The lily pads float with the rolling of the ripples made from the fountain nearby. All of the wee colourful song birds are tucked within the low lying tree branches. The frogs have finished their play and are now hiding between the reeds and cattails as they wait for the first glimpse of sunbeams to begin their low rumbling croaks. The roses have closed their flower petals but their sweet aroma is still wafting in the warm evenings breeze. It is at this hour that even the bravest of faeries has decided that it is time to rest but of courts after they have decorated the cattails with just a bit of faerie dust so they will sparkles as the moon slowly rises higher and higher in the pink and blue sky above. With the slides help the morning will be such a wondrous sight with the intricate webs glistening with fine dew drops. Down't you wish that even if it was for just one day, that you could follow along as the faeries start and finish a day.

Trying on the newest fashion of reds, the faeries are being a bit pretentious with how they look. Who knew that they were so concerned with the whole trend thing and the need to be in vogue! My question is what on the earth do they do with last years hand-me-downs??

As the salt water gently laps its way onto the pebbly beach, the songs of the water sprites can be heard as they echo across the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean. You can feel the shells break as you walk towards the waters edge as if they are being a warning sign as to not to get too close past the seaweed guard as the sprites can be very quick when they latch upon your bare toes bringing you down, down, down to their icy coral homes.

While darting in and out of the cattail reeds with their cotton wrapped heads and the hummingbirds close behind, the faeries just love this part of the day. Stopping to drink from the dew kissed leaves and jumping with the local frogs from one lily pad to the next all the while getting their toes wet in the warm September bog. In fact this is one of the best times to see them is during the early morning light before the head of the day when they will be seeking the comfort from the out stretched leaves of the trilliums and ferns. Sometimes the young ones can be seen peeking their wee heads out to see the beauty of the curly lilies when they are in full bloom.

As elusive and the most shy of the shyest of faeries hide within these upturned roots. Once a trailing endless system of rooted feet buries deep in the earths most soil have now been upturned to face the sky. Alas these once supportive limbs now lay dead waiting for new life and growth to bring them back to life once again rule as they once had. And as the tiny blossoms and green green most start to cover and build the canopy way up high the faeries will gently peek their heads through to rejoice in the lush new world in the forest that is blooming all around them.

Still hiding within their lair the trolls wait not so patiently for the sun to set; for if they even stick a wart on the tip of their nose a rock soon they will be.

Oh, if only these gentle giants would sing their songs for all to hear.

Playing within the growth of the forest there they can be seen dashing, peeking and just have a grand ole time. Play sweet Faeries, play.

Hiding within these old roots that tell the stories of the past...never fear as these trees have providing the faeries a safe home for almost a thousand years.

Look at these trinkets that are eccentric, diverse and unique just like the faeries how have collected them. Oh my, oh my, wouldn't it be wonderful to find one left in a pocket of a coat that you had forgotten hiding in the back of your closet? Or what about in the sock that is sitting on top of the dryer that is missing its mate? Oh wait, did you happen to leave your favourite teacup upside down in the cupboard? Did you, if so please be careful as you wouldn't what to pour your raspberry tea just to look down to find a wee rubber ducky bathing in this steamy hot tub! The hiding spots are unending so it be best that you stay on your tippy toes just in case you might be lucky enough to be visited by the faeries too!

As the sun slowly slips away from view what a magical sight. The dragonflies have curled up with their transparent wings wrapped around them to keep the night time chills away. The fireflies are just about to dance in the dark skies to add just the slighted glimmer of glowing lights. And can you see the glass like water that mades them look like they are adding their own enchanting glimmer of trailing lights. And now here comes the faeries skating along above the gentle ripples while singing to the whales hoping that they will break above the water to say hello. Don't you wish that you could be flying along with the fireflies as they dart through the blackened sky.

On the eve of a late dusk, traveling on the Queen of Oak Bay; if you look close enough there are faeries playing in the moon beams.

Even the smallest of small blooms give way to such a sweet smelling bouquet that sits upon a mushroom table in time for tea.

Mother Nature at her finest. Oh what a wonderful place for wee faeries to call home. With the warm sun, the trickling of a stream, the trees gently leaning towards the sky and then two lonely pinecones waiting for their time to rejuvenate the earth with futures seedlings. Can you picture a faerie fluttering nearby? Can you picture a faerie dipping her toes in the stream to cool off? Can you picture a faerie making snow angels in the sand? I know I can. Can you?

Here you are dreaming that you are finding your way through the tall, tall cosmos. Can you see them with their flowers heads that are delicately painted in natures white and pink hues? Let your imagination roam as here you are a wee faerie no bigger than a bumble bee playing catch-me-if-you-can while surrounded by their feathery green leaves. And now here you are breathing in the slightest sweet scent of summer in its fullest summery bloom. Ah, to have a faerie right now is certainly a wish for both you and for me.