A Fairy Garden in a Teacup ...a project for a mild, rainy day

When this most darling movie appeared in my mailbox one day...knowing full well it had come from one of my dearest friends and blog follower (Our Mary) ...

I was enchanted ...

in an instant.

In that instant I was transported back to my childhood, playing on a creek bank and building little log houses with sticks...

Fast forward..ummmm.... several several years.... (as I will be forever 10, those other numbers don't really matter, do they?)

Sophia is shown a Photo that my friend Debs in Wales (a dear twitter SB girlfriend) had on her pinterest board.. a fairy garden in a teacup.

I was oohing and ahhing, and Phia was deciding we should make it...Right Now!

I'm so happy she thinks like I do.  Why wait...why think we must pencil it into our schedule...why not just drop everything, right now, and go make that fairy garden...did I mention..RIGHT NOW?

...and this is how excited she is to get to be in charge of the tea cup...

She has dressed herself, after choosing what she'd like to wear to do some gardening...and you shall see that, in a bit more detail...but insists on having a gardening apron, as I have just tied the back of mine.

Off we go...

down the path to the backyard...

and there you can see...Pajama pants with her former Sunday shoes. Yes, we're girly girls.

We must find moss...

This was pretty...even though we didn't need a mossy rock..

And this Lichen covered stick was really interesting...even though we didn't need a Lichen covered stick...

So Phia looks and looks...

She gets a bit side-tracked...which can happen with us little girls set out into an inviting haven of moss and wild strawberry plants and lichen covered sticks...and old pots of the dried up spring geraniums...

'Let's pull them ALL out'...Phia thinks to herself...

But then Grammy lures her away..."Let's dig, Phia."

And she is given charge of a trowel...

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!

Commence digging...

It just feels good to dig!  Even grown up girls need to dig in the dirt sometimes. Momma always said, "You need dirt."  Oh boy, was she right...digging will relieve stress like nothing else.

Dig, little girl, dig.

We have inspected the entire yard and found a goodly patch....Phia, can you fetch the trowel (it was left at the lovely digging site)

Here, Grammy...she calls, as she makes haste towards me...

She takes the role as partner very seriously,  for she is not just helper in this stage of the project.

We leave the tea cup and saucer next to the plot of moss..

...along with the trowel...and head back to the path to fetch a handful of tiny rocks...

Just the right amount to place in the bottom of the teacup. They will help in water drainage, as there is no hole in the cup...

Now it is time to dig the patch of moss and place in the cup. ..

Pat it down, gently...

Now to find a tiny strawberry plant for our tiny container...you know about container gardening, don't you...(and by the way.. you're going to love the container we have chosen)

Teensy Tiny plant is found, carefully uprooted, and laid onto the saucer..

....and we make our way to the back porch (just as the rain decides to come again) ...

Along the way,  Phia picks up sticks and stuffs them in my apron pocket...

We will use these to fashion a clothesline, using a tiny bit of twine and itty bitty clothes pins (these are in the "itty bitty things" section of the craft store...

Now for the strawberry plant to go in the cutest little container, with a handy little shovel propped, alongside...

I told you it was cute, and I know you just love it! Thimbles can be used for so many things! Eliza, the mouse that lives here at Grammy's house,  knows all about thimbles and their many uses..

Phia takes the other tiny sticks and begins designing the tiny chair...for she has her own thoughts on what it should look like....

So with a wheelbarrow of wood...

...we set up a work station..

This old can holds food for the Bunny Bunn and sits beside the outlet...perfect for plugging in the hot glue gun. (Oh, if only there had been such a thing when I was 10 ..for the 1st time... I would have made ....oh...I would have made anything and everything!

While I glue, Phia plays behind the porch swing...(hot glue guns should be called "the thing that will burn the fire out of your finger if you touch it" gun!)

Building trains with this Brio train set has been a family tradition, beginning with my son, the first grandchild for my parents...and this was what mother wanted every year, for Christmas. As we approach this Christmas, 30 years later, I'm so glad she started this collection.

And we have a chair...thanks to that ridiculously hot glue...

It's not a masterpiece, but very little girls can't wait very long, now, can they?

And now the project is completed...

Into the house we go to compose a letter to the fairies.  Phia works diligently...

I write one as well, inviting them to hang their laundry whilst enjoying a tiny cup of tea...

and so we wait...

It is raining steadily, now, so we take a moment for Phia to enjoy some Scooby Doo fruit snacks. 

...and we watch the rain...

Do fairies fly around while its raining?

Phia ponders...

Calling all fairies...please come visit Rose Water Cottage...

We shall stay away...we promise...

just hurry...hurry please...

I will go and eat my pea buh jammy sammich ...

and I'll see if Mr. Tod wants to come down and play...I just wuv him...

Oh, poor Phia doesn't yet understand about that rascal, Mr. Tod...

It is nap time, sweet Phia...

Off to bed she goes, under the quilts, with her balloon, blankie, and Old Bear...

...and she sleeps...

Grammy ponders.

2 hours later...she wakes...

Where da fairies? ...she calls, in her sleepy voice, as she toddles through the kitchen, dining room, and into the living room...

She looks through the screen door..

Yes, they did...they did, they did!

Yay, Phia!

and she is one happy little girl...

she believed they'd come, and they did.

I read the tiny message to her...

"Sophia, the tea was so lovely..hope you like the bunting. We will bring our clothes to dry after the rain."

Happy Phia...

She decides it must come in the house, as it has turned chilly since she went to bed for nap time...

and here is the perfect spot (for fairies are able to find their way into little cottages where believers live)..

This is the season to believe...whether it's Santa or sweet little fairies ..

but my hope is that this season celebrates your belief in that tiny babe, born in a manger in the town of Bethelehem.

Blessings, my dear dear readers, friends, and family...

I am so glad you came to visit, on our rainy rainy day.

Eliza takes Flight

At an Autumn book signing, Eliza sat alone on her lovely sofa, amongst the books and kits and cards....

Grammy realizes, as she is searching through her purse for a handkersniff, that John Jacob has been hiding there since her visit to Xavier's house. After searching through the boy's toy box, the little mouse had been found, and made his way into Grammy's hand bag. He had missed his friend Eliza, and Xavier said he would have called her if she had had a tiny phone of her very own.

Grammy surprises her sweet mouse with the presence of her dear friend, whom neither have seen in over a year...

Eliza hardly recognizes him.. his fur has turned white and his ears are very pink.  She inquires regarding his present condition.  It just so happens, that being tucked inside that little boy's pocket, caused the predicament...for the short pants Xavier had been wearing went straightaway to the washing machine...along with John Jacob! What a washing he received! But he is still her dear friend, nonetheless, and they have much to discuss, for many many adventures have taken place.

Now, it is time, in early November, for Eliza to accompany Grammy on a most exciting adventure...a flight on an airplane.

Xavier wants to be sure that Eliza will be able to call her friend, while she is away.

Eliza gives instructions on how to use the tiny phone that Grammy has purchased for them...

It came all the way across the ocean from England..  (if you have acquired the book Eliza Celebrates a Royal Wedding, you may refer to the map, inside, of England)

Eliza tells him he must always use his very best manners when answering and speaking on the telephone.

Grammy and Eliza are awake very early, on the day of the adventure, and travel to the airport.

She is rather anxious about the idea of flying through the air, but Grammy assures her she will be tucked safely inside her satchel, alongside her books and paint sets and sketchpads and paintbrushes...all the familiar things from the art table in the pleasant sunroom...

She asks if Eliza might want to take a peek out the window, to check the weather conditions for flight...

When the surrounding passengers on the plane meet Eliza and are informed of this first experience for one nervous little mouse, they commence telling funny stories and tall tales, and in no time, Eliza is at ease. How wonderful to make new friends.

Grammy has told her of the exciting event they will be attending, as presenters...Art in the Garden, at a school in Florida...and what fun it will be to meet the boys and girls who have been so excited to meet her.

Grammy dons her dress and hat and prepares for the day...

Her sister-in-law, who will be assisting at the event, is prepared for the day, as well...

Arriving at the school, we meet the principal and the art teacher, who welcome us to the beautiful campus and into the lovely garden...

We are introduced to one of the musicians...

...and we then find the perfect spot for our table.... under the beauty berries and in close proximity to the fountain, with its trickling sound, reminding us of our own fountain outside the window of our sunroom studio...

Children come, one class at a time, to our table.
This is Ms. Lowry's class of 1st and 2nd graders...

They were so very excited to see us, and being ever so clever, asked meaningful questions of how a story comes to be.  They wrote down my responses and even drew darling pictures of our dear Eliza, their new friend...

Eliza poses for these sweet girls...

It is now time for lunch, and we are famished. A delicious meal is prepared and enjoyed out in the garden. Vases of freshly gathered sunflowers, grace the tables....

The creator and coordinator of the event, my brother Brad Jones....

After lunch, another precious child returns to my station to ask more questions, for she has fallen in love with Eliza...and Grammy...and we love her...

We will come again, to this garden, to these children.

The next morning, we venture out into the garden, once more, to gather cotton for the new and improved mouse making kits, for it is the very softest material for plumping newly stitched mice..

There are such beautiful blossoms on these cotton plants..

This is a freshly picked cotton boll..

We then sampled the fresh cucumbers from the garden...

This Edible Schoolyard has become quite a success, and how exciting is its future.

At my brother's home, in his very own garden, I snap a few photos.

His outdoor shower inside the enchanting secret garden..

and the bright green moss growing amongst the flat rocks..

the gorgeous, fragrant orchid that hangs nearby..

and at last, the roses reaching for the sky...along with the dreams of this brother and sister...

Back at home... in the quiet little sunroom...we assess the cotton and marvel at the stages of its transformation...

Here is the quantity of cotton, picked and processed by the students....

Small amounts will be placed in tiny bags and tied with tiny ribbons and placed in the mouse making kits.

A package is sent to the 1st and 2nd grade class, as they will be creating a classroom abode for their very own Eliza mouse. They have been awaiting the package for several weeks, and it has finally arrived.  Mr. Jones presents the package to the class...

How exciting to think of what is inside...what is a kit, exactly...

Ms. Lowry's class is now able to create a mouse for their classroom, and they will begin enjoying their very own adventures.  They plan to help Grammy as she creates her book for spring, Goat's Milk and Gardening, in which Eliza will grow peas.
Thank you, to this incredible educator who gives her love and talents to this active, creative, and incredibly clever group of students.  I am blessed to know her, and to have the opportunity to engage with these loving children.

Hoping you are blessed, as well, this Christmas season.

Enjoy the warmth of the hearth in your home as the days have become shorter and colder...

Those of you who are friends of Susan Branch and follow her blog, will know how truly inspiring it was to view the sweetest vignette in her "Peter Rabbit Room"...I just could not resist creating my own version here at Rose Water Cottage.

Giddy-Up Little Garden

It is a sunshine-filled, windy beginning to our day....and it feels like Christmas Morning, every morning...wanting to run to the garden to see what package has been opened.
After a large bowlful of my favorite cereal, (known far and wide, as "Grammy's Cereal") and fresh goat's milk from dear friends, I am ready to face the day.

Dew still fresh on the grass, I pull up my wellies, place my hat over my loosely braided hair, and take along the camera...

These days will pass quickly as we proceed to the approaching move.
Thank you for joining me as I document these rich, fragrant days of Spring, at Grammy's House.

I suppose at some point last year, I planted a few petunias...I had forgotten...but they had remembered. They were the softest peachy pink hue...and I can see their little petals yawning, waiting to open soon...

The girls in the hydrangea bed must have had quite a pep talk last night from the Annabelle and the Blushing Bride...for they have picked up their pace and more pretty petals have burst forth..

Xavier declares these to be "the pink ones that my mommy likes!" They will be a vibrant shade!


Make haste little Annabelles...

...they seem to be squinting, in the bright morning sun.
These are some of the sweetest in the garden...it could very well be, that I favor them because of their beautiful name...or because the dearest little children's book, 'A is for Annabelle' by Tasha Tudor, is one of my favorites.

(I recently found this lovely little copy published in 1954...it is perfectly perfect for little hands, as the cover bends easily, and no bothersome dust jacket to negotiate)

(Sweet grandaughter, Baby Sophia, keeps one of her softest of soft pink blankies at Grammy's ...it provides such a feminine little backdrop for this dolly book)

Annabelle's dress, and its soft shade of green, reminds me of the Annabelle Hydrangea's pale green petals.

They are such fragile little girls, requiring daily watering as the heat of the summer wears on them. When I asked my masterful gardener brother what was the best fertilizer for my gardens, he replied, "The water from your sweat, and the shade from your shadow." In other words, be present amongst your growing things...they love to feel your fingers pass over their leaves and hearing your voice praising them for the beauty they produce. Such sage advice...of course, no pun intended...


The Brides continue to Blush, as they open and reveal the palest shade of pink..

Oh!My!Goodness! (or 'ohmagooness' as Xavier translates Grammy's most frequent exclaim) Can you believe this??

I have not one single frock in my closet this shade...but as I step into my garden, I find my wellies  coordinate beautifully with the lovely Spring 'bonnet' of this little miss!

The grapes are swaying in their arbor, begging for their 'keeper' to come and direct a chorus of praise amongst their growing clusters...

The protective prickles are long gone...they are managing quite well, thus far.

Breezes blow...pea-sized fruit is a tiny blur.

This morning in the garden...my heart swells, knowing that God, who created us to tend to His Garden...must be so very pleased. It is His praise and love I feel as His hand brushes over me...causing a desire to please Him as I continue to grow in the shade of His shadow...

Drying Yarrow

As beautiful as this Yarrow is...bringing jars and pitchers to life...days are coming and going all too quickly  towards our move.  It is time to prepare these golden blooms for drying.  I did think a batch looked quite pretty in my grandmother Leva's french blue pitcher. Leva Jones was the grandmother who grew Morning Glory that was close to this beautiful shade of blue. Mother thought the pitcher would be beautiful for cut hydrangeas, but lo and behold, the Yarrow is quite stunning, as well!

Husband and I made a quick trip to the little cottage to attain more measurements, and whilst in lovely Franklin, we ventured to the Yarrow Acres garden shop.

I found a sweet journal....

...with lovely endpapers...

...and beautiful brown paper pages for pressed wildflowers, sketches, and special notes...

When I finally approached the beautiful counter to pay for my purchases, I inquired of the lovely music playing throughout the shop...with birds singing and chirping along with the soothing instrumental sounds.  These were two of the ones I purchased....(they play now, as I write and sip my morning coffee...such inspiration is found)

I love to hear our resident birds' songs, but new and different birds' songs have been equally as pleasing!

The woman at the counter was generous enough to entertain my questions regarding the best method for drying yarrow. I displayed a photo of my 'crop' and she agreed it was perfect time for harvest and that I should hang the flowers, leaves stripped, upside down. I suppose that ensures the bloom will remain in a tight cluster, giving a brighter effect to the dried arrangements.

So early this morning, I rise...intent on the process of drying my 'treasures'...

Pretty ribbon tied in bows, repurposed for this project, will hold the stems tight as they dry.

The old fashioned "clothes dryer" serves well as an impromptu drying rack.

The count down has begun...two weeks from today...crossing fingers and toes...praying for all to be well...as we close on two homes...in one day.  It is time for packing and moving miracles!!
I am so thankful for a lovely distraction on this Monday Morning in May!

Harvesting Yarrow

Our Yarrow is in full bloom....and I must stop, midst the stream of a busy Saturday's list of things to do...

..and harvest some Yarrow...

Husband and I found the charming town, Old Salem, in North Carolina last Fall, whilst vacationing in Asheville.  As we came upon the giant tin coffee pot centered in the town square, I knew we had come upon a treasure.

Perusing the bakery...(where we happened to find a smaller version of the tin coffee pot to take home..it is barely visible on the top of the shelf to the right of the window)

 gift shops...

and lunch at the Tavern....

We came upon a delightful bookstore...

...full of crafts, beeswax candles, and Moravian Star decor.  When I spied this little candle wreath, filled with golden yarrow, I had to take a photo..

This is my motivation as I gather and dry the yarrow this Spring...it will be glorious and golden tucked into Autumnal arrangements and Christmastide wreaths.

For right now, though, they are stunning in an 1800's Mason jar, vintage milk cream bottle, and repurposed reed diffuser vases...

There is a wonderfully inviting garden shop in the town we are moving to...and I always love to peek inside for frivolous needs...a lavender sachet, a bar of Linden soap, a topiary of angel vine...and it is called Yarrow Acres.  Such a treat for the senses.


Fresh harvested flowers...the fragrance that lingers as the leaves are stripped...fresh polk salad on the stove...
and my heart feels at home....
even though the rooms are now nearing empty.

Close your eyes and breathe...what are the delightful aromas visiting your home today?



I will give you an extra sneak peek at the progress of the hydrangeas and hollyhocks, trying desperately to make an appearance for their "gardener of growing things" before she moves...

See how tall they have grown? My goodness ...they take my breath...

A new caretaker will be coming soon...save some blooms, and greet her graciously...as all southern ladies do. What a welcome she shall receive!

An Early Afternoon Walk

The Little Land

 A Child's Garden of Verses

Robert Louis Stevenson
Florence Edith Storer illustrator

When at home alone I sit

And am very tired of it, 

I have just to shut my eyes 

To go sailing through the skies-

To go sailing far away to the pleasant Land of Play;

To the fairy land afar

Where the Little People are;

Where the clover-tops are trees,

And the rain-pools are the seas,

And the leaves like little ships

Sail about on tiny trips;

And above the daisy tree

Through the grasses,

High o'erhead the Bumble Bee

Hums and passes.

In that forest to and fro

I can wander, I can go;

See the spider and the fly,

And the ants go marching by

Carrying parcels with their feet

Down the green and grassy street.

I can in the sorrel sit

Where the ladybird alit.

I can climb the jointed grass;

And on high

See the greater swallows pass

In the sky,

And the round sun rolling by 

Heeding no such things as I.

Through that forest I can pass

Till, as in a looking-glass,

Humming fly and daisy tree

And my tiny self I see,

Painted very clear and neat

On the rain-pool at my feet.

Should a leaflet come to land

Drifting near to where I stand,

Straight I'll board that tiny boat,

Round the rain-pool sea to float.

Little thoughtful creatures sit 

On the grassy coasts of it;

Little things with lovely eyes

See me sailing with surprise.

Some are clad in armour green-

(These have sure to battle been:)-

Some are pied with ev'ry hue,

Black and crimson, gold and blue;

Some have wings and swift are gone;-

But they all look kindly on.

When my eyes I once again

Open, and see all things plain:

High bare walls, great bare floor;

Great big knobs on drawer and door;

Great big people perched on chairs,

Stitching tucks and mending tears,

Each a hill that I could climb,

And talking nonsense all the time--

O dear me,

That I could be

A sailor on the rain-pool sea,

A climber in the clover tree,

And just come back, a sleepy-head,

Late at night to go to bed.

It is not quite the middle of May, but it feels very much like Summer, already.  A quick-paced walk to the mailbox will give me a good dose of sunshine and jumpstart an afternoon of laundry.  I simply cannot miss an opportunity to document the progression of Spring...first sightings of favorite things...

The first glimpse of Crimson Clover....(as pictured in the story book illustration above)

Being raised in Florida...our nicely manicured lawns contained St. Augustine grass....so thick it could be quite uncomfortable to walk barefoot. In the early years...our lawns, which I suppose should be referred to as "yards," since not much manicuring was attempted in those days, contained sand spurs...that would stick in your feet if you dared to venture outside shoeless.  Moving to Tennessee twenty some years ago...I found the grass is like walking on soft carpet.
I am still in much wonderment over the pretty things growing wild in the field next to our property, as they are all native to this state, but still somewhat foreign (and delightful) to me.


The sight of May Daisies....we could call this month "Daisy May"...I always look forward to its arrival... and its daisies...(can't you just spy the little people under the Daisy Tree)

A wild little rose? I have never noticed this before....(these remind me of Tasha Tudor's illustrations)

Checking in at the grape arbor...I am fascinated by the stages...this one I did not know about....seems quite peculiar. Do the tiny prickles protect the tiny grapes?

I love the little tendrils ...curling their way around...


The mother branch is massive in comparison to the fresh new spring-y green vines...

My brother in Florida, just harvested his beautiful pumpkin last month! Pumpkins in April?  I thank him,
each time we speak on the phone, for encouraging me as a gardener...a grower of things. I promise him that one day I will venture into establishing a vegetable garden.  One growing thing at a time, my dears!

I hurry back inside, wishing I could linger awhile longer....Springtime allergies have won the battle! I will suffer through...

Enjoy your Spring, whatever part of the country you live in.  Each stage is beautiful, even when your daffodils are peeking out from fresh fallen snow...somewhere else, they have already come and gone.

Happy May!

On a Morning in May...

"I can hear the violins begin,

I can hear the piper play,

But every time I think of you,

You just steal my heart away....Just like a morning in May like this...."

Grammy and Big Daddy's story began on a morning in May, seven years ago, and the lyrics from Van Morrison's song became "their song." 

This was such a beautiful morning, I took a stroll, with a letter to mail and my camera in hand, and captured a bit of the loveliness along the way to the mailbox at the end of the drive.

  I never tire watching this climbing hydrangea attach itself, 

climbing ever upward.

Good "Morning, Glory!"

Welcome! little "rainbow" garden...Xavier will be so happy to meet you!

I am so proud of my Peony Girls...

Pretty ..and Pink ..and Deliciously Fragrant....

Oh, how I wish you could feel this cool breeze and hear the calming sounds of the waterfall, as I stand in the shade of the Grand "Marshmallow" tree....

I must say...April Showers brought Fields of Flowers...

I place my letter in the mailbox, lift the red flag, and turn to walk the length of the drive to our house....

such a pretty sight...the cottage, our home, and the stone barn....with a backdrop of the most vibrant shade of blue...it catches my breath....and steals my heart away....

It is May Day!

I remember celebrating May Day when I was a little girl...beautiful ribbons streaming from a pole on the playground at school...weaving in and out...all of the children marching around.... such fun!
I found the lovely picture above, entitled "The Children's May Pole," in the antiquated book "Happy England" by Helen Allingham.  My dear friend Diane at Corgncombe Courant, had the most beautiful post featuring this book and its quaint scenes of country life in England. I have enjoyed having my own copy, now, and am ever thankful to Diane for introducing us to this treasure!

We awoke this morning to thunderstorms and left for church as the rain continued to drizzle....
When we arrived home, pulling into the drive, we looked towards the pond and exclaimed with much delight..."Look! Canada Geese!!"

Xavier was beside himself with excitement, for we had not had them visit....we had only seen them as they flew across our property on infrequent occasions. We approached very carefully, trying not to disturb them, but as we drove up beside the pond, they suddenly honked and took flight!

The pond was full to overflowing...but at least we enjoyed a few minutes without rain, to capture a few more photos, updating the progress of our flowers at 'Morning, Glory' cottage....

The hollyhocks are filled with buds, now, and we are so anxious to see them bloom this year. The peonies are ready, as well...

This is the most spectacular sight, to the gardener who thought a sweet plant had ended its will to produce...

As we move further up the drive and park our car, I come to the hydrangea bed for a glimpse at their progress. The climbing hydrangea is in bloom, and I spy little buds on the other lovelies at her side.

Once inside our home, we look to a very special book to retrieve more information about the geese..

Again, we thank our dear Diane for sharing this most beautiful and informative book, on a recent post describing the fascinating call of the red-winged blackbird.  Xavier, along with anyone who chooses to peruse this book, is intrigued, and anxious to tap the little button and hear the famous call of the Canada Goose.

We dig further into our ever-growing library, and find photographs of the beautiful peonies that grew in Tasha Tudor's cottage garden...

The English Cottage Gardening Book is such a feast for the gardener's eyes...a wish book, of sorts...each page provoking dreams of flowing, trailing, blossoming, borderless beds ...a must-have for cottage gardeners...

Someday, I will find these particular fragrant beauties...

Thank you to dear Natalie at Rookery Ramblings, Office Manager of Tasha Tudor and Family, for posting the availability of this exquisite, hard to find, book.

So on this rainiest of days on the first of May, we gaze through the bay window, over the fresh green grass, saturated by these rains, and ponder the beauty to come...as these showers will bring our flowers! Happy May Day!