tea for the fairies

You know when you suddenly look up from whatever it is you're doing and realise that all is quiet? And you get that niggle of dread.... Why has it all gone quiet? What are they doing? How much mess will I have to clean up?

Today contained one of those oh no! moments. I suddenly realised I hadn't heard a peep from the three little darlings for a long time. I went to investigate.

I did indeed find some mess and a little mischief. But to be fair, the 'mess' consisted of bits of foliage littered across our front path (which is in dire need of a good weeding anyway), and the 'mischief' consisted of a few squashed tomatoes, a well-pruned herb bed and some flower stalks stripped of their blossoms.

Imogen looked up from her various cauldrons just long enough to explain that she was creating a 'midnight feast tea party' for the fairies. Her 'ingredients' were mint, sage, wildflower petals, tomato seeds and dishsoap bubbles. She spent the best part of two hours collecting, brewing, stirring, pouring and 'tasting'. And though I suffered a pang of frustration at the loss of some of our last ripening tomatoes, the deforestation of my wildflower border and the slain herbs, I delighted in Imogen's dedication, innovation and concentration.