Fairy Garden

if you learn to see the beauty in every plant then your garden will never have weeds
if you learn to find the joy in every stone then your garden will always have a path
and if you learn to hear the blessing in every curse then your garden will always have fairies
Written by Jim Cumberland, © 2010 Jim Cumberland

"Spread your wings and let the fairy in you fly!" ~ Author Unknown

“Don’t you wish you could have the fairies’ day – just laugh and dance and sing and play!” ~ Mary Jac

~ Where you believe there is magic ... you will find it! ~

Oh, How I Love the Fall!

For me Fall has always been the beginning of the new year. The kids start school and at work new projects begin. When I think of Fall I think of beautiful earth tone colours, cool breezes, cozy warm sweaters, harvest, new beginings and possibilities.

 "October gave a party; The leaves by hundreds came - The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, And leaves of every name. The Sunshine spread a carpet, And everything was grand, Miss Weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band."

Author: ~George Cooper
 "October's Party"




"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."

                                                   Stanley Horow

Painting by George Baker

A tangerine and russet cascade of kaliedoscopic leaves, creates a tapestry of autumn magic upon the emerald carpet of fading summer. 

                                                  Judith A Lindberg

                        

Painting by George Baker

The woods are full of fairies; the sea is full of fish; the trees are full of golden leaves; let's make an autumn wish.          Unknown

                                                                                                                                    



What a Differnce a Month Makes May - June 2011

There is nothing like watching your back yard come alive. We sometimes forget how things in our lives change and grow whether we are paying attention or not. Lifes about the moments, try not to miss them.


May 2011



June 2011



June 2011

June 2011

My two son's Mother's day gift.

Standing in the Garden

Recently, I was the driver for a Garden tour.  We drove 500 km that day and saw some fabulous gardens. I'm not much of a gardener but I love to look at them. This picture of me as a child standing in Grandma's garden inspires me to spend less time working and a little more time smelling the roses.

Bleeding Hearts

When I was little visiting my Grandmother Westwood we would walk in her garden. It was full of interesting and brightly coloured flowers. She would tell me stories about the plants.

My favourite was the legend of the Bleeding Heart.
Long ago there lived a noble prince who tried in vain to win the heart of a very beautiful princess. The prince had brought the princess wonderful gifts from his travels far and wide. Yet she had taken no notice of him. One day the prince returned from a long journey with very special gifts to surely win the love of the princess. First he presented her with two magical pink bunnies. Peel off the two outer petals and set them on their sides to display two little pink bunnies.


The princess only sighed and barely looked at the little bunnies. The hopeful prince had one more gift saved for last - he presented a pair of beautiful enchanted earrings. Remove the two long white petals and hold them next to your ears.

Again, the princess hardly noticed the prince's gift. Now the poor prince was utterly heartbroken. He could try no more to win the heart of the princess. He rose up, pulled a dagger from his sheath and stabbed himself in the heart. Remaining in the flower is a heart shape with the stamen, appearing as a dark green line down the center. Hold the heart up, carefully remove the dagger-like line, and plunge the dagger through the heart.

The princess was overcome by the dedication of the dying prince and his unending love for her. She realized too late that she loved him also. "Alas," she cried out. "I have done wrong, my own heart is broken also. I shall bleed for my prince forever more!" And her heart bleeds to this very day.

The Bleeding Heart was the first perennial I planted in my garden and now, I tell the same stories to my children.