Welcome back, you believers, to the realm of magic, the land of fairies and gnomes.  Of course, my eight year old grandchildren could tell you with authority that these magical beings go to warmer climes during the cold of winter, but are drawn back to places of welcome every spring… So if you want them to visit, Ella and Grey would say, you need to find an enchanted woodland setting, provide homes, and create places to dance and play.  If you do, they will reward you with additional treasures to add for their visits.  The twins know. This is the fairy and gnome garden we made this year.

The very first time they came to visit Edenton, they knew our backyard met all the criteria for supernatural beings, the greatest magic right near Raen’s Hill. Last year, when they came for Easter, we created our first Enchanted Garden. This year, the first thing we did yesterday was to restore the magic garden near the crepe myrtle. Gnomes like to hide in trees.

Carefully, while Ella worked on her side of the garden, Grey set up his gnome house, his paths and bench, and found spots for his gnome figures. They let real gnomes know that they can make their home here. You can see one on the chimney of Grey’s gnome house and one seated on the right-hand bench in the play area.

This year Grey and I added a gnome on a swing to his side of the garden. There he is on the right side of the picture right near the solar rock frog who invites gnomes to come and play. He’s swinging just above the Hellebore or Lenten Rose.  Gnomes like to hide beneath leaves, especially when it rains, like today.

Then between his side and Ella’s, they created a shared play space where the fairies and gnomes can join for food and fun. For those of you who read my blog post on Finding the Butterflies, (A Lesson from Ella), you will not be surprised that this year my gift to Ella for her garden was a swallowtail butterfly that she placed in the shared play space. She is fluttering above the spiderwort to the left above.

 Of course, Ella’s side has a welcome sign, too – and two fairies, one by the sign and one sitting on her bench in the playyard, right next to the pillow that says, “Believe.”

So this is my grandkids focused Easter blog with remembrance of last week’s post, and recollection of an eight year old me watching Mary Martin as Peter Pan begging us to clap. Otherwise, Peter said, Tinkerbell would die because people had lost their faith in magic and fairies. I clapped as hard as I could, clapped till my hands hurt, whispering over and over, “I do believe in fairies. I do believe in fairies,” my heart pounding. I felt like only I could save Tink.

Today I know for a generation more, at least, Tinkerbell is safe. When the rain stops, Ella and Grey and I will go outside and I will see magic, alive and well.  Happy Easter!

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