My Birdsong

A Mermaid Queen and the Mad Tea Party

 

My adventure began while I was walking through the forest in search of some herbs for tea. You see I was invited by Vanessa Valencia at A Fanciful Twist to attend a Mad Tea Party with all sorts of others in attendance in blogland.  I had no idea what was in store as I wandered among the redwoods. Suddenly, through a clearing, I came upon a breathtaking scene - the beautiful Pacific Ocean!

  

It was such a glorious site! But I began to feel a little light headed and had to lay down. My  how my legs felt strange. It was as if they were becoming rubber and I couldn't put any weight on them. I wasn't sure what was happening.

Maybe it was the sweet treat I ate from the old woman who lived in the forest.

She told me one day soon my heart's desire would become reality.  From the look of my legs, it dawned on me what was happening. Could it be that when I saw the ocean my dream of swimming with mermaids would come true? With shades of blue and green creeping up my legs, I needed to get to the water and fast!

Oh how my legs became uncomfortable. It was as if they were fusing together!

And then it happened! I had turned into a mermaid with fins and all! I flopped, ungraciously I might add, to the water and splashed in! Thankfully no one was around to watch!

As soon as I hit the azure sea, it was as if I were free. My heart sang with the delight of speeding through the cool ocean among the fish and dolphins. And then I heard them calling to me with their magic song. It was the mer people.

With a bow, a merman swam up to me and asked me to follow him to the mermaid Queen's castle. She was in charge of the sea off California's coast, and I was to be her guest for the day.  He told me to hold onto the royal seahorses, and they would take us where the Queen awaited our arrival. They were very fast you see, since I was still relatively new to the deep.

He explained that she would officially welcome me to her land and tell me about life among the mer people. So not long after, we arrived,  and my heart skipped a beat! It was magnificent, with seashells and pearls and sparkling sand everywhere! 

We approached the door and I was speechless.

We stepped inside a grand hallway decorated with coral and pearls and gilded columns. The Queen waited far down the corridor.

We passed brightly colored starfish and pink and pearly clam shells on our way to see her. It was a sight to behold. And so much treasure! There she stood holding a magical mirror and a golden comb.

She welcomed me and introduced me to some of her subjects, including her lovely sister who had just had a baby.

We talked for a while and she told me that I had gotten a very rare chance to live a dream. Not many people were able to do what makes them happy. She said that I should be glad I was chosen, no matter how short the time spent may have seemed.  And then she said my special time was almost over and that I should enjoy it while I could. First she gave me a necklace and then asked that I look into her mirror. It would be the catalyst that would send me home. I was escorted to the door and down the steps and took one last look back. 

There she was waving goodbye. By the time I left, night had fallen on the land and I decided I wanted to see the full moon.

 

I sat enjoying the ocean at night for a long time and thought about the gift she had given me. It was the freedom to be happy and enjoy the journey we are given. I must have fallen asleep in the warm sand  for I awoke to the sound of a young lad calling to me and asking if I needed help. 

I thanked him but declined. I then gathered myself and headed for home. Was it all a dream? I was exhausted and yet thrilled. I had been to a fairy land, and I now carry that magic with me always. I hope you find your magic too! Don't forget to visit the other journeys of those participating in the Mad Tea Party!

~ Iva

PS - All art in this post was created by me with love and remembrance of our dearest Brianna.

Preparing for an Underwater Party

 

I hope you will join me Saturday, as I prepare for a Mad Tea Party! I've invited many guests from the deep including some lovely mermaid friends of mine. There will be many others participating, thanks to our hostess Vanessa Valencia. See you in the cool blue ocean right here on Saturday!

Discovering Precious Moments

Our son was leaving the house and noticed a bird fly out from our porch. He noticed that it came from the area where we keep a wicker chair and where I have hung a concrete owl. The sculptured owl's wings are spread and it has two glass marbles for eyes. It was made to hold a votive, and the eyes light up casting an eerie glow over the piece.

Here, I used the flash on my camera and you can see how the eyes glow. Well being a curious young man, Trevor wondered what the bird was doing. When we first moved into our home, the overhead porch light had been left partially open and a bird had nested inside it. Of course, we were careful not to turn the porch light on for fear we'd burn what little babies might be inside. 

But there was no open porch light this time. So after leaving the house several times through the front door and noticing the same behavior from this bird, our son decided to peek inside the owl. Lo and hehold, what do you think he found?!

You guessed it! A sweet little bird's nest complete with five dainty little eggs! You can't tell from the harsh light of my flash, but they are the loveliest shade of blue. Isn't it ironic that a small bird would choose to make a nest inside the sculpture of a carnivorous owl? I'll try to take pictures along the way, without disturbing the little darlings to be. What would be ideal is if I could snap a pic of the bird on the nest! It reminds me of our families and holding our loved ones close. Like the Mermaid Queen and her little mer-baby in the Under the Sea theater, I created and now have listed on eBay.

Precious moments like these happen everyday. All we need do is recognize and take a few minutes to enjoy them. Soon our son will be flying the coop on his way to college and our nest will be much quieter. I am cherishing the time we spend together. Remember, each day is a gift. 

Bathing Beauties Now Appearing

Several treasures from the seashore featuring sweet bathing beauties have now been listed in my etsy shop. Getting ready for grads and dads in the coming weeks. Happy summer!