Meadow Sweet Grove |
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Merry Meet! The fairies invite you to enter the Grove and delight in a magical dose of seasonal articles & images, tidbits of folklore and comfy home-cooking recipes. Scroll down to see this week's articles now! Then stay and peruse an enchanting selection of new, vintage & always eclectic treasures available to you in the fairies' own store!
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~ Go Shopping Here! ~
The Fairy Shop
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Follow the Grove at:
Let this blue fairy magically transport you to the Store!
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 GIF by Rhian Buchanan, 2019
~ Fairies' Favourite Finds ~ ~ Summer Magic ~ |
Click to see what's on SALE!
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Brand New! Rose Quartz Amulet Layered Necklace Crystal Healing Love Metaphysical - Made in Vietnam
CA$14.99
Brand New! The Secret Garden Children's Book Condensed Version Frances Hodgson Burnett - Printed in USA
CA$2.99
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~ Last time at Meadow Sweet Grove ~
What fools these mortals be! It is the last day of the merry, merry month of May and the little fairies in the Grove are busy packing up the maypole and ribbons and storing them away for another year. One day this May, a few callous humans happened to spot the fairies at their dance. They informed the fairies that their dance, although old, was now symbolic of conquest and power and an evil group of people. To this the fairies stared at each other in astonishment ... Continue reading: what-fools-these-mortals-be.html 
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~Summer Solstice Signals Summer Stitches~ 
What does Summer Solstice mean? Beyond that it is the longest day of the year, in terms of daylight, it means to me that I finally need to dig out the summer clothes! That's right. I wear my winter clothes as long as possible. I scrape along in T-shirts and jeans and a pair of slip-on Clarks until I realize that ... it ... is ... HOT! Then I find that I can't wear my sandals (because my toes aren't polished and I'm just not that kind of a girl) and all my summer clothes are stored in the basement! Time to swap out the clothes. |
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It's a bit of a task. I have to look through my lighter clothes, in my old childhood dresser in the basement, see what is viable for this summer, and then lug them all up 2 flights of stairs to our bedroom. Because our bedroom has a cove ceiling and a big "pocket" over the staircase - the dresser has been built into the wall. Sweaters, long-sleeved shirts and heavier pants are removed from the "pocket in the wall" and relocated back into the dresser in the basement. But I'm not complaining - I love our charming little old house, with its small rooms, sloped eaves ... and many, many stairs. It sure does give me my exercise! |
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Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019
Did you know that articles from past weeks are archived in my Blog? Check it out here! what-fools-these-mortals-be.html
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~ Folklore Fun ~ ~ Heavenly Hollyhocks ~ |
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I'm absolutely smitten with Hollyhocks this year! They are a magical must-have for any garden and I'm pleased to say they have been successfully added to the Grove.
The English flower folk name "Hollyhock" is thought to be comprised of "holy" and "hoc". "Holy", from the flower's copious use in the Holy Land and Egypt; and "Hoc" meaning part of the mallow plant family. Hollyhocks were and are present in Europe, Japan, the Middle East and North America - this plant species is believed to have originated in China ... and travelled far, arriving in England during the 16th Century.
The English flower folk name "Hollyhock" is thought to be comprised of "holy" and "hoc". "Holy", from the flower's copious use in the Holy Land and Egypt; and "Hoc" meaning part of the mallow plant family. Hollyhocks were and are present in Europe, Japan, the Middle East and North America - this plant species is believed to have originated in China ... and travelled far, arriving in England during the 16th Century.
Hollyhocks symbolize "female ambition" and with such beautiful blooms, and an average growth of 6 to 10 feet ... it is easy to see why! Due, I suspect, to their height and the possibility of needing staking or protection from the wind, you often see these flowers growing against the sides of houses, along rock walls or garden fences and no English cottage garden would be complete without Hollyhocks. They are also heavily present in graveyards, perhaps as a remembrance that they were used long ago in the funeral preparations of the Ancient Egyptians. This magical flower has been used in a variety of ways including a soothing way to wrap bruises or a horse's sore hoof (hence another folk name "Hockleaf" and perhaps another origination for "Hoc"?). The fairies often use the blooms for skirts or other clothing and so adding these flowers to your garden are sure to please the wee folk as well.
I've recently discovered the existence of "black" Hollyhocks, which are actually a very deep, dark purple ... I would love to add them to our garden as there are a number of "night" plants I want to cultivate. Quick as a flash, no sooner had I voiced this wish, then a friend mentioned she was popping some black Hollyhock seeds in the mail to me. Never doubt the existence of magic in a garden!
I've recently discovered the existence of "black" Hollyhocks, which are actually a very deep, dark purple ... I would love to add them to our garden as there are a number of "night" plants I want to cultivate. Quick as a flash, no sooner had I voiced this wish, then a friend mentioned she was popping some black Hollyhock seeds in the mail to me. Never doubt the existence of magic in a garden!
Bibliography: The Language of Flowers, Penhaligon's Scented Treasury of Verse and Prose, Sheila Pickles, 1989 Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019
Did you know that articles from past weeks are archived in my Blog? Check it out here! jasmine-or-moonlight-in-the-grove.html
