Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Fall Fairies and Black Walnuts

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We spent some one-on-one, mamma-and-little-girl time with the fairy castle recently.  It was wonderful…fulfilling and rejuvenating to be in a quiet woodland fairy world with my own little fairy and her large imagination. 

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In the yard next to the maple tree that is producing a bounty of truly spectacular fall foliage is a Black Walnut Tree that is producing a bounty of its own.  Black Walnuts by the hundreds are laying all over the ground.  They look innocent enough in the photo…but multiply by a thousand and put them right between the house and the garden and they are a broken ankle waiting to happen!!  I hold my breath every time I watch my little ones go tearing across the lawn.  They have a distinct smell even when green that likes to linger on hands…and once they start to ripen they turn into nasty little balls of black impossible stains!!  So picking them all up has to happen in a very important window…after they are all off the tree so you don’t get pummeled while working…and before they turn black…!!!  But this is all from a momma’s point of view.  Fall 057

From the little ones eyes they are a magnificent source of food for all her little squirrel friends!!  The huge job of picking them up (which is not nearly done…!) was preceded by a long talk about squirrels…all about squirrels…and that they indeed would not starve!  We dump every bucket of nuts into the hedgerow so they are definitely still accessible for all our bushy tail friends!!!

Ahh…the blessings and lessons of nature!!!

What has nature been teaching you lately?!?!?!

7 comments:

valarie said...

Well don't you have a beautiful fall fairy in your garden? Nature has been teaching us that it's time to get ready for winter quickly. I've had to pull out all of the rain/snow clothes this week. Enjoy the season.

Aja said...

What a beautiful place you live in:)
We have collected a bowl of black walnuts from a friends tree, such a perfect autumn item for the kids to play with:)

Heather said...

What an amazing place that you have created for her. Thank you sharing

Bernadette said...

rain rain rain... did i mention the rain!! we usually have very dry falls and this year we are having much much rain rain rain. so i am learning the joys of being wet...how to get your wet umbrella in the car without soaking you...how to park cars (i work for special events) and be wet and still laugh... and 40% chance of rain is like a breath of fresh air!! our trees....just starting to change...do love the fall and the being inside and being cozy!

elizabeth ~ so wabi sabi said...

the leave crown is so precious on your little fairy

Hannah said...

Thanks. It was suprisingly easy to make...I think it's become a tradition!

Sharon Lovejoy said...

I loved this small faerie adventure. We always made ink from the walnut hulls and as a grown up I made dye for my hand spun wool.

Of course I loved the leaf crown. I wrote about them in my first book Sunflower Houses and I received dozens of letters of Moms and Grandmothers telling how they had done that too and now carry on the traditions.

Joys to you,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes From Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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