It is at its most bewitching in spring when the bluebells cover the ground with a purple mist. The sun is still penetrating the burgeoning canopy filling the space with dappled light. You can almost hear the giggles of the fairy folk. There is evidence of them around if you take the time to look carefully.
This is unmistakably the front door to a castle.
A meeting place perhaps - a fairy school.
And what of this? Am I alone in thinking it looks like a discarded spell book or tome of woodland wisdom?Another thing that I love about the woods is the way that nature has decorated it. The ground is uneven and strewn with debris. Knotted roots plot to trip you. I swear they move and are never in the same place twice. I have a theory that the trees and woodland creatures are in cahoots and our stumbles are their entertainment as they hide in the branches.
The wind plays a big part in forming the woodland and our wood suffered terribly at her hands in the hurricane of 1987. However the myriad of fallen trees have added the most incredible structural beauty to the place. It's as though Nature herself fancied a bit of sculpture.
The combination of sunlight passing trough the canopy while the breeze moves the branches means that there is a constantly changing palette of shadows being cast. The tiny stream that meanders and trickles through this enchanting place is the perfect place to watch them. Sometimes it's so perfectly peaceful you could almost drift away...
But there's always a reminder that we've got to keep going.
Pooch doesn't like to stay still for long.
28 comments:
Lovely musings.
We used to call the wood near our house The Fairy Wood when I was a child. I never did see any fairies though.
Wow, I'm jealous. That is so beautiful it hurts. I want to join you!
Oh but FairyHedgehog - that was just because they didn't want to be seen....
Natalie - it's absolutely gorgeous right now and these pics don't do it any justice. Just wait till I load up Hubby's pics. They are something else. I'm jealous of his ability.
Oh and Natalie - you are welcome to join me any time ;0)
So. Pretty!
You & Whirl are in cahoots about the bluebell posting, aren't you? You crazy UKers.
What a wonderful place to wander about! I wish I could have been with you.
Ah, very beautiful. Beautiful photos and beautiful words.
*shakes head to recover from reverie* *claws out* You've reached Smackdown. Come over and check out your punishment.
I did not know you lived in the Hundred Acre Wood, and I did not know it was so enchanting. Thanks for the photos and the marvelous prose.
In the words of Janice.... "Ohh Maaayeee Gaawdddd!!"
It seems you have found the enchanted woods and the one with the door sure looks like the Magic Faraway tree. I wanna be there too. :D
Don't knock on the door! Angry Pixie doesn't like it. :P
Angry Pixie is not a patch on Cranky Koala. Whose wrath is slightly mollified by the speed of badge display.
Awaiting updates...
Gorgeous post - both pictures and words.
Especially the first and last pictures - that first one really did look like a special entrance, and then there's pooch at the end, saying come one come on, let's go home to my food bowl.
Nobody does woods like you guys do woods.
These are great pics and I'm inspired to post more bloobery before the season is out.
Next stop, foxgloves.
Ditto Natalie. Lovely post, truly lovely!!
:-)
Wow, what gorgeous wild flowers! Isn't it amazing to see color like that in nature? Especially after a long, white winter.
I have that witty blog with funny embedded YouTube you ordered.
The bandages are on back order. Hope you have something else on hand.
Got here courtesy of Absolute Vanilla.
I love fairy woods, 'specially when the bluebells are out.
We had a fairy tree in the garden when I was a child, which I just knew they lived in.
What a beautiful spot - I love the set of photographs, it feels magical.
One thing I do miss, living here, is that there are no bluebells. Nor snowdrops. I did get to see some in England when I was there visiting and meeting you, though! :)
I almost feel guilty for my Faerie story working title of Pissing on the Bluebells. Only almost. :P
The annual bluebell post! Janey, you didn't disappoint. I love your pictures and matching musings -- not fanciful at all, methinks! I'm absolutely convinced there are fairies going in and out of doors and reading books.
I'm so pleased that you captured that magical bluebell glow, c.2009.
Goodness but I'm getting worse and worse at keeping up with comments!
Sara - so glad you liked it. The better ones that I was going to post are currently trembling on a computer that has all the signs of being dead so these might be the only ones I have!
Aerin - the bluebells cast their spell - Whirl and I are just under an enchantment!
Lois - for your diary next year: Early May visit Janey for bluebell appreciation week.
Thank you McK - for the kind words and for the whipcrack (I think). Updates by end of weekend...
Peter - I actually do live very close to the real Hundred Acre Wood. 15 minutes drive and I'm there. I've even played Pooh Sticks on the real bridge.
Aniket - I must have a lookout for The Faraway Tree - that would be fun! Have no fear, we Irish NEVER anger the fairy folk....
Robin - I was bowled over by that tree in the first picture. It's right next to a little bench by the stream. You have to duck under really low branches to find the path to it. It's as though the woods are concealing it...but Pooch found it and now I visit most days.
Whirl - you better get out there quick - they're starting to fade... I haven't seen any foxglove leaves yet. Perhaps they're just waiting for the Bloobry Exudus.
Chris - come visit, we can hurt together in the shade of the fairy tree.
Renee - the winter felt particularly oppressive this year and this feels like a wonderful reward for sitting it out. There is nothing quite like wildflowers I think. Such an amazing gift.
Sarah thank you so much. I've licked my wounds and just need to get on with the actual writing. LOL at the Swedes - nothing like a bit of naked dancing for laughs.
Fire Byrd - welcome welcome welcome. I do recognise you from Vanilla's. Glad you liked the bluebells and my musings on the enchantments of the woods.
Sylvia - it is magical. This spectacle warms my heart every year. I'm sure Spain has it's own floral identity to welcome spring. Orange blossom perhaps?
And LOL at Pissing On The Bluebells. A great title. Pooch likes to go right into the middle of them to "do her business". I doubt the faeries like that at all. Still I religiously tiptoe in and clean it up. I think they appreciate it..
Thanks Bee - it's like been drawn into a parallel universe right now. I'm very aware that I'm visiting somewhere special and the portal will soon be closed for another year.
This was so lovely, Janey! I've always had the same thoughts about forests. It's why I look forward to weekends that we spend at our cabin in the woods. As soon as the girls were old enough to use glue, we started making fairy furniture and houses (I think Jason posted photos of some a few years back... maybe this shall be my project this weekend!) And we always find evidence of the fairies, as you did! :)
I only wish we had bluebells... I love the enchanting purple mist!
Here's one that the song keeps sticking in my head, but it's good because I find it inspirational and funny. Bonus - it's about writers.
Oh my gosh, did you take those pictures? I am so jealous! They are beautiful. And a wonderful post!
Gorgeous, stunning, magical post! I just love those bluebells and all that green!
And, there's a little something for you over at my place :-)
Hi, just found your blog and loved being lead to the woods. How lovely, I am sure its fairy land. Surely i will visit again. Thanks for sharing and being out there.
Lovely indeed!
word verification: surge
so so gorgeous. i do love the english countryside. we don't go enough in the spring time. =( thank you for sharing!
What great photos. They beg to be written about. And I especially loved the bluebells!
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