You never know what the morning will bring.  Be open to anything and always have your camera ready.

You can learn a lot about wildlife just by observing for even a short time.  The turkey on the right is safe to sit under.  The turkey on the left is not.  So I learned something here and even got a little free fertilizer for the garden.   

You may say this photo is a bit out of focus.  And I may say,
It's a turkey flying across the street!

At times you may feel like just one of the pack, but never be too scared to take a stand.  Even at rush hour?  Well, maybe you can choose your moment.  But which of these turkeys are you focusing on?  'Nuff said.  

And sometimes you may just want to choose a different path.  Or be alone for a while.  
Or get a different perspective on things. 

But after you take that time to reflect, you will probably realize that having someone who really understands you is just priceless.


Gobble, gobble, gobble.

You Still Need Patience

 Enchantment isn't all fun and games.  It's not like you just walk outside and see enchanting and magical things all around you.  Well, at least not all the time.  Some things take a little coaxing to be fully realized.  And some beauty will only show itself if you can manage to be a bit patient.  

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Faeries and Me

Valentine Haiku

A Japanese poet recently got stranded in the land of “the folk.”  The poet decided to use his time there to teach a Haiku workshop.  Winter being a slow time for the faeries, the workshop was very well attended.  The result is this lovely collection of poems from a bit of, shall we say, a different perspective. 

From the Troll

Your beautiful eye

Blinks and wanders

toward the sky

As chocolate melts 

From the Ogre

I’ve captured your heart

My little bunny FuFu

Thump-bump, thump-
bump, . . .thump

From the Fairies

My love, drink your fill

Of my fairy food partake

Hope you like it here

From the Witch

Your lips shiny slugs

Your eyes brown bogwater pools

Bubble, boil, . . . burp!

From the Pixies

It gives such pleasure 

To take precious possessions

You look so puzzled

From the Faun

To gambol once more

Laughing in the golden sun

Your warm tin can breath

From the Dragon

Your lance nicks hard scales

My flame melts your silver garb

Your turn. . . . HEY, YOUR TURN! 

From the Faerie Queene

Apply the ointment

See how glamourous you are?

Wait ‘til you get home : (

(I’m not sure if the : ( is traditional in true Japanese Haiku.  

But that’s what I love about hanging out with the faeries.  

They just don’t care.) 

Did you ever wake up too early and then can't get back to sleep?

                                                                    How early am I, exactly?

I know that good design encourages us to use diagonal lines and to place things according to the Golden Mean, but today I am really just enjoying circles. 
Circles are satisfying.

They help us identify with a flower.

Doesn't she look like someone you'd like to know?

Or someone you'd like to hug?

Circles let a flower say, “Pow!”

 A circle's simplicity allows us to focus on intricate patterns.

Circles encourage us to see faces even where they may not really exist.  

                                                                                                                 (Photo manipulation by K. Wolpers.)

                            And perhaps where they shouldn't. 

They make a good frame.

They can provide a comfy hideout.

And they're just the best when we all want to huddle together.

They can be quite magical.

                                                                                                                                                       ( Photo courtesy of Safia El Hmamsi)

They make a great backdrop for your elk.

Oh, and they can be very important.

Or a real hindrance.

 Faeries seem to have an affinity for them.

 They are fun to decorate.

 And to peer inside.

They can hold all the power.

 And a lot of beauty.

 Circles can even catch your dreams.

 They bring you back to the beginning.  Ah, diagonal lines, the Golden Mean.  That can be satisfying too.

A world within a world.  And worlds within.  

What we see isn't ever all there is.

Another Everyday Spell

Spell for Finding Lost Objects

If you have misplaced a prized object and decide it’s a spell you need to help locate it, Poke, also known as Pokeberry Root, Pigeon Berry, and Inkberry, is an herb that just might be able to help you out.  Here’s a good spell you can whip together next time you lose your keys, cell phone, cauldron. . . :

Mix poke with hydrangea, violet and the ever-popular galangal.  Sprinkle this mixture in the place you last remember seeing your missing possession.  Your chances of having this spell work increases greatly if you can sprinkle it directly on the object itself.  You’re welcome. 

Everyday Spells

Now that you have gotten in the Enchantment mode, you might be interested in trying to cast a few spells.  Nothing too tricky or involved.  Just sort of everyday spells. And since Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, here's a fitting one to get you started.

Spell to Promote Faithfulness and Romance

Take a spikenard root, whole or just a piece, and put it together with a few hairs taken from the tail of a goat.  (This doesn’t have to be your goat.)  Place these items in a charm bag and carry them with you. 

If you think the spell is losing its effectiveness, add a few drops of spikenard essential oil, or have the goat twitch its tail a few times over the bag.  (No, it doesn’t have to be the same goat.  And don't feed the goat for a few hours beforehand.)

To aid in the spell’s effectiveness, bathe daily and try not to curse too much.