Tasha Tudor, Children’s Book Illustrator, Dies at 92 Excerpted from The New York TimesBy DOUGLAS MARTIN Published: June 20, 2008 Tasha Tudor, a children’s illustrator whose pastel watercolors and delicately penciled lines depicted an idyllic, old-fashioned vision of the 19th-century way of life she famously pursued — including weaving, spinning, gathering eggs and milking goats … Read more
Peonies by Mary Oliver This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting readyto break my heartas the sun rises,as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers and they open –pools of lace,white and pink –and all day the black ants climb over them, boring their deep and mysterious holesinto the curls,craving … Read more
Fairy Under the Flowers © by James Christensen Within thine eyes are dreams of mystic things, Within thy voice a subtler music rings Than ever mortal from the keen reeds drew; Thou weav’st a web which men have callèd Death But Life is in the magic of thy breath. — from Madonna Natura, by Fiona … Read more
There seems never to have been an uncivilized tribe, race, or nation of civilized men who have not had some form of belief in an unseen world, peopled by unseen beings.— W.Y. Evans-Wentz, The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries, 1911 In order to nurture your relationship with the Gentry, I would urge you to first … Read more
Neither substance quite, nor shadow,Haunting lonely moor and meadow,Dancing by the haunted spring,Riding on the whirlwind’s wing… — from A Faery Speaks by Sir Walter Scott Yesterday, I began a discussion about building an altar as a way to begin to connect to the Fair Folk in your home or garden. Of course, I realize … Read more
The garden with its little gate of green,Invites you to enter, and view mysteries unseen,Its vine laden bowers and overhanging trees,The air filled with sweetness, the hum of the bees,The flagged walks with Iris galore,Of most beautiful coloring, unknown before,Pink, white, purple, yellow, azure blue,Mixed and mingled of every hue,You come away wondering, can more … Read more
Wild Iris at Dawn – © Galen RowellIn your neat garden iris growsBright yellow, mauve – in stately rows.This one you’ve picked is a lovely thing,I know it brightens up our spring. But in the forest, springtime’s child,A purple iris growing wild,Can melt my heart as spring melts snow,It’s spoilt me for the sort you … Read more
March: An Odeby Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909)Please remember – For best results, poetry is meant to be read aloud! I.Ere frost-flower and snow-blossom faded and fell, and the splendour of winter had passed out of sight,The ways of the woodlands were fairer and stranger than dreams that fulfil us in sleep with delight;The breath of … Read more
Cold Mountain(After Han Shan)by Colin Oliver When I came to Cold MountainI made my home among pinesat the foot of a green cliff.Yet who is here? Cold Mountain:a vacant house. Jagged peaks,white clouds and crying monkeys. 2After a shower rocks gleamand Cold Mountain from high peakdown to green border shimmers.I wander by a clear stream,watch … Read more
Happy Aphrodite’s Day!Do you not see how mighty is the Goddess Aphrodite? She sows and gives that love from which all we upon this earth are born. — Empedocles ca. 490-430 BCE Instead of honoring the various Christian martyrs named St. Valentine on this date, let us celebrate what we REALLY want this day to … Read more