I've been wondering "sometime in the future will the children
remember Fairy Lane". "Will something make them recall the feelings
they felt when they were walking through the woods?"
In the four months that Fairy Land has existed I have reflected on why my own
feelings are so strong. Little pieces of memories have come back to me.
Such as when I was little my family would watch the Irish Rovers tv comedy
show and the 3 little leprechauns that would appear in the pop up book.
Or that I enjoyed playing with any doll that would fit into the palm of my hand.
Or wander the fields and woods that made up our farm. As well as creating
dolls from the silk and husks off fresh cobs of corn.
Also after having my own family, we ventured here to the island and walked
through Cathedral Grove, for the first time, with it’s magnificent trees and
enjoying stories of trolls.
My hopes when Fairy Lane was created was for families to explore the woods and
feel the magic of nature. And wonder, could creatures (fairies, elves, trolls, pixies)
live here other then the ones we see and know, deer, birds, cougars, rabbits?
I wondered “how can we explore nature and leave a message that we appreciate
it?” Families are doing that.
I hear accounts from people who have discovered Fairy Lane and the reaction
from the children. One little girl that lives close to the Lane visits quite often
with her brother, mom and dad.
During the Christmas holidays when family was visiting from out of town that
is what she wanted to share. So off she went sharing with her parents,
grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins the joy and excitement she feels when
she visits our little doors.
I see, when I walk through Fairy Lane, evidence through the treasures they leave
behind showing pleasure from children and maybe grown ups too.
I receive emails from families of how they have connected what they see at
Fairy Lane to what is happening in their day to day life.
“So we went to fairy lane today, A's first time actually
and we were talking about the treasures you found at the
doors M said the fairys collect them as we were talking
we decided it must be tooth fairys snatching shiny things
that catch their eyes while they are collecting their teeth.
Well.. The door with the big clothesline has a barrette
and A was screaming it was her barrette she was certain
and she just lost a tooth last week so it only makes sense..
My girls were beside themselves it was one of my favorite
parent moments :) So thank you
for bringing a little magic in we are so grateful!”
I’ve been told about Family Day Care providers taking
their children through the woods and leaving presents
behind. Today I saw that someone has created their
own Fairy house and left it for all to enjoy.
I met a mom, who’s child attends my StrongStart with
his nanny, for the first time and she told me how she
discovered Fairy Lane while running with her dog.
There are many more stories I could share but
yes I do believe that wonderful memories
are being created through something as simple as
putting pieces of wood in the forest.
And by something as strong as our
imaginations.