~*Fairy Houses*~ (Full Spring to Full Summer Event)

 So, I am SUPER excited about this activity, and I really can't wait to share, so...here I go! It's all about Fairy Houses! Apparently, building fairy houses, is a long-aged tradition of New England, and it was said, that individuals made fairy houses to invite fairies to stay in order to attain their help, so islanders would make these small houses in Nature, from the very things in nature, and would  leave a coin inside as an offering for their help! Read more, here!

So, what's so cute about this, aside from the enchanting idea and creativity? It's being outdoors, and being close with Nature! It helps build a strong connection to the very Earth that houses us all, and being holed up in a technological world, this is such a wonderful remedy, and I heard it's quite addicting! What's really interesting about this activity, is that it sparks curiosity and creativity in others, and passerbys can't but help to add their own touch to the houses too!

 

In New England, they even have small festivals for fairy houses! In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, they have Fairy House Tours! And town dwellers will dress up as fairies too! How darling is that!?! Read more on this, here! There is even a book series about these houses, written and illustrated by Tracy Kane, you have to check out her books too, it'd be so much fun to look over all the houses she's captured! Check out her website....here!

Okay, okay, now a brief description on how YOU can do this! First, you want to think about the type of fairies that live near you, now fairies exist everywhere, so don't be sad if you're in the city, because fairies do travel and they made need an overnight stay on a long journey! After you think of the type of fairies, pick a secure location, in the base of a tree, under a shrub, in a garden, keep in mind to keep the houses away from being trampled or weathering elements, like flooding from a rainshower! After you pick your location, GO GATHERING!~ It depends where you live, beach or a forest, if you live near a beach, collect shells, seaglass, seaweed, if you're near woods, acorns, mushrooms, stones, petals from a flower, pinecones! Then, construct away! Remember, different seasons yield different materials! Once completed, take a picture to share, and remember to leave a sweet treat for your new neighbors, berries, nuts, or honey! maybe even a little cream, or a cube of sugar! maybe you can get your human neighbors to make more houses! Either way, create and have fun, and don't go wandering off by yourself too far, make sure to have an adult, or someone know where you are, if you're going to be off on a Nature walk, gathering! Hope you enjoyed this article, as much as I did! ^-^

~Four-Leaf Clover Hunting!~ (Spring, Early Summer Event)

   
      Now this is a popular activity, but I don't think it's an activity that we should stop doing as we get older!~ We all could use a little luck and some fresh air, after being cooped up inside all winter! So, I want to share some thoughts/facts on four-leaf clovers! I'm going to start by asking, if you ever wondered where the idea of four-leaf clover hunting came from? It hadn't really occurred to me before, who started this activity, but I can bet you, that it is a tradition from the old country, long before we settled this one! Now, onto the facts about four-leaf clovers, there are a lot of ideas, why three-leaf clovers will spawn a rare four-leaf clover, also called shamrock, whether it be mutations, environmentally influenced or a semblance of a lot of factors, four-leaf clovers, are rare, and even rarer still, can have more then four leaves, the highest number ever recorded is 18, found by Shigeo Obara. Now, why is the four-leaf clover considered lucky, aside of it being a rare find, well, it's because the druids highly regarded four-leaf clovers, as a lucky charm to ward off evil spirits! It is said that each leaf represents, faith, hope, love, and luck, and according to St. Patrick, in the catholic faith, it represents, the father, the son, the holy ghost, and god's grace. I didn't realize there was so much behind these cute little leafy greens. THEN, there's a kicker, the "true" four-leaf clover is supposed to be of the white clover family, but there are 3 other "four-leaf clover" look-alikes that are mistaken identities, but they still seem accepted. Either way, here's how you do this activity!~~~

1.) Pick a nice spring day for hunting!
2.) Bring along a magnifying glass! (but be careful not to let the sun shine through it)
3.) Bring SNACKS!~ (hunting these leaves can use up a lot of energy)
4.) Decide how you will keep the four-leaf clover, picture, pressed in a book, in a vase!
5.) If you don't find any, don't be discouraged, you can always try another day! And luck
isn't only found in four-leaf clovers!