High Quality Time and Entertainment....

...it took Alice about 10-15 minutes to thoroughly explore the Faery Garden, encouraged by 5 adults (one with an annoying, clicking camera!!). Mostly, she looked at and touched the garden "props": ceramic, plastic and glass houses, animals and "water"; later on, she will appreciate the plants. Alice already knows the names of some. She already understands about the "gnome" that moves about the garden; finding him is part of her garden routine (once she's had enough berries!). Across the driveway, at my yard, I have placed a large plastic toy T-Rex among the ferns and hostas; if prompted to go see the dinosaur, Alice will scamper over to point out his location. On Alice's suggestion, I have started moving T-Rex around the yard, just like her Grandma's gnome.

She's touching "history"...

...Alice marvels at the small, pretty objects inside the white picket fence; she tries to name them and the colors she sees. The adults coach, encourage and smile. She does not now understand that the fence is a treasured family heirloom, made by her deceased great-grandfather when he was a boy--perhaps 85 years ago. The little fence was made by him as a gift for his own grandfather; maybe to demonstrate his developing carpenter skills (he was a professional carpenter, as it turned out.) So, the fence was first owned by Alice's ancestor, born likely in the mid-1800's; it returned to it's maker to be passed down to his daughter (our Gardener), spruced up by her Hubsy and placed here for the innocent delight of the little child. (Oh, and us.) American family traditions; one of the many reasons to have a Great Independence Day!

Center-piece of the Summer Afternoon Party...

...the past few year's, the Creative Gardener's been working on Faery Gardens: little patches of garden placed at attractive levels for children, perhaps. Using tiny varieties of hostas and other plants as well as delightful brick-a-brac and lots of imagination, minature worlds of fun come to life. The purpose of the day's gathering was to show Alice the new Faery Garden, hidden away deep in a secret corner of the Big Garden (actually, in a thin sliver of side yard, just outside the media room and next to the air conditioner unit; but since the border on the s.w. corner of the garden is so densely packed, you have to walk all the way around the house to reach it.) Remote, if you are 2.

Just another sweet little expression image...

...and also, to show off this year's Major Construction in the Big Garden. The wood slices will serve as pavers for a path in front of the blueberry patch and behind the new Sun Garden at the east end of the yard. Those big spaces between the pavers will soon be filled in with wood chip mulch; it will look very rustic, I think. The sun-loving plants that were put in the ground earlier in the year are doing beautifully.

A look of Wonder and Awe?

...or perhaps just hopeful anticipation for the next blueberry to be popped into her mouth. Alice loves fruit, especially those berries and watermelon--and of course, chocolate, when she can get some. And she is reserved and dignified for so young a girl: try as I might, I could not get a picture of her actually eating the berry--almost as if she understood this was not as lady-like as she would wish to appear.

Here is our Alice and her Mommy...

...yes, I realize she is a bit---no, a lot younger than the Alice in the books and movies. Her Wonderland is a bit different, as well. She's only two and just coming to awareness of the life that she has and the way she fits into the world around her. And she is so fortunate that she is surrounded by real love and nurturing from her family, immediate and extended; oodles of humor, warmth, energy and intelligence. When she comes to visit Grandma and Grandpa at the Big Garden Next Door, she heads for the raspberry and blueberry patches in the backyard as soon as she can; she just eats a few as she's picking. You can see the evidence on the front of Alice's little top.

All on a lazy summer day....

...the next few posts will feature a modern day l'il Alice in her own little Wonderland with her Mommy and Grandparents in the Big Garden Next Door---this is pretty adorable!